Author: DW

Nigeria’s President Bola Tinubu has squarely rejected the idea of paying any ransom for the release over 280 schoolchildren, who were abducted last week. Tinubu specified that “not a dime” would be spent to meet the kidnappers’ demands since the payment of ransom was made illegal in Nigeria in 2022. Meanwhile, authorities may be running out of time to secure the release of the hostages in the north-western Kaduna State, as the kidnapping gangs have vowed to kill the captives if their demands are not met. The kidnappers are asking for the equivalent of over $620,000 for the release of the…

An expanded and more concrete migration and mobility partnership between the Philippines and Germany was one of the main talking points between German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr when the two leaders met in Berlin on Tuesday. “The Philippines has a treasure of well-skilled workers,” Scholz said in a joint press conference. “This is also relevant for our health sector.” Scholz said that labor cooperation with the Southeast Asian nation is an important area for Germany, adding that he wants to make progress here in “a very concrete fashion.” The German chancellor said that a “very comprehensive…

In the early months of the Iraq war in 2003, around 88 British troops were deployed to the Qarmat Ali water treatment plant to provide round-the-clock security.What the soldiers didn’t know was that while on duty, they were being exposed to a carcinogenic chemical used to maintain the pipes in the plant. Ten ex-soldiers have now spoken out for the first time after suffering a range of health problems, including daily nosebleeds, a brain tumour and several diagnoses of cancer.Today on the Daily, Niall Paterson speaks to Sky’s Michael Drummond about his report into why the former troops are still seeking…

“I am working nonstop, because this is a final for me. Under the mandate given by the law this is my last election.” These words, spoken by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan ahead of the upcoming local elections, caused a stir in the West. News agencies reported that the leader was saying his “farewell” and announcing his “withdrawal” from politics. In Turkey, on the other hand, Erdogan’s words drew ridicule. On social networks, commenters debated how many times he had already announced his departure — two, three or even four times already? Hakki Tas, a political scientist with the German Institute for Global and Area…

Former US President Donald Trump arrived at a federal court in Florida on Thursday for a criminal case that accuses him accuses him of illegally holding onto classified documents at his Mar-a-Lago mansion. Trump’s lawyers will ask the federal judge to dismiss the case during the hearing. The former president has pleaded not guilty to a 40-count indictment that accused him of retaining classified national security documents at his Palm Beach mansion after he left office in January 2021, and then obstructing US government efforts to retrieve the documents. If US District Judge Aileen Cannon — who was appointed to…

A high court in Japan has ruled that the country’s ban on same-sex marriage is unconstitutional.The current marriage law has previously been interpreted to restrict marriage to just between a man and a woman. While the Sapporo High Court doesn’t have the power to overturn current laws, it called for urgent government action to correct the lack of legislation allowing same-sex unions.The court, one of eight high courts in Tokyo, said that by not allowing same-sex couples to marry and enjoy the same benefits as heterosexual couples, the law violates their fundamental rights.However, it is only a partial victory, as…

Four years after the COVID-19 pandemic provoked whole countries into lockdown, scientists are still trying to find conclusive evidence to pinpoint where the virus first infected humans. But does it really matter where SARS-CoV-2, the virus that caused COVID, originated — now that life’s back to a kind of normal? What’s the difference if the virus leaked from a lab or developed in nature?  Well, researchers say it does matter: They say it’s one of the most important questions for our understanding of how pandemics start and how we can prevent them in the future. The answer, they say, would have a lasting…

For generations, a strong Bayern Munich has meant a strong Germany, with homegrown players from the serial champions often central to the national team, whether it be Franz Beckenbauer, Philipp Lahm or Thomas Müller. For a time, Müller was the sole survivor of that tradition, and the last Bavarian native to come through the ranks at Bayern and become a regular for Germany and Bayern. But the emergence of Aleksandar Pavlovic could change all that. The 19-year-old, who has a German mother and Serbian father, has become a standout under Thomas Tuchel at club level this year, after previous boss Julian Nagelsmann had…

Thousands of farmers gathered in India’s capital, New Delhi, on Thursday to demand higher prices for crops. The demonstrations came a month after farmers set up camp in northern India after riot police stopped them from reaching the capital. Farmers’ protests come ahead of elections India’s government is expected in the coming days to call new elections, in which Prime Minister Narendra Modi is to seek a third term. Modi and the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) have said in the past that they are committed to the farmers’ welfare and prosperity. Farmers represent an important Indian voting bloc as…

In the heart of Germany’s industrial landscape, labor disputes and growth concerns are casting a shadow over the nation’s economic outlook. At the forefront of the current tumultuous landscape is Jens Höngen, a seasoned 30-year-old locomotive driver with a decade-long tenure at Deutsche Bahn, the country’s leading railway operator. Höngen’s journey within state-owned Deutsche Bahn has been marked by both dedication and discontent. Despite his years of service, he has found himself at odds with his employer, and has participated in multiple strikes in recent months. “Striking isn’t fun,” Höngen says, echoing the sentiments of many of his fellow workers. “There is less and less…