Author: DW

A Russian opposition politician who was barred from running in the presidential election has told Sky News he will not meet the same fate as Alexei Navalny because he does not cross political “red lines”.Boris Nadezhdin, who served in the State Duma between 1999 and 2003 and has been a long-term critic of the government, says he believes the fact he has never been personally critical of Vladimir Putin has kept him alive and out of prison. Ukraine war latest: Follow live updatesHe said: “I think that in comparison with people such as Boris Nemtsov, who was killed and was…

The question “Where does it hurt?” is not easy to answer for Thomas Frey — his aching leg no longer exists. Frey lost his leg in a serious accident more than 30 years ago. But almost immediately after he lost it, he felt a severe pain — right there, where his leg used to be. It’s what’s known as phantom limb pain, or simply phantom pain. And it’s quite common: Over 70% of amputees experience phantom pain. People can get phantom pain after losing arms and legs, and other body parts, including breasts after a mastectomy, as well as teeth. The…

UNESCO announced on Wednesday that it has added six new entries in Germany to its Intangible Cultural Heritage list, including Berlin techno.  The German capital has become world famous for its vibrant techno scene. However, the Berlin clubs are still suffering from the aftermaths of the COVID-19 pandemic.  Lutz Leichsenring, a member of the executive board of “Clubcommission” in Berlin, a network of clubs and cultural promoters, told DW that the designation was “another milestone for Berlin techno producers, artists, club operators and event organizers.” Clubcommission also supports the preservation and development of Berlin’s club culture. “The decision will help us ensure that club culture is recognized as a valuable…

James Crumbley, the father of a Michigan teen who used a gun bought by his parents to fatally shoot four students, was convicted of involuntary manslaughter in a US court on Thursday. Crumbley, 47, was found guilty by a jury a month after his wife, Jennifer Crumbley, was convicted on manslaughter charges. Both parents face up to 15 years in prison. Their son, Ethan, shot and killed four students at Oxford High School in 2021 with a semi-automatic handgun.  Jennifer Crumbley had testified in her trial that James had bought their son the gun as an early Christmas present. Ethan…

McDonald’s restaurants in several countries appeared to be suffering from some kind of software or system problems on Friday, hampering staff’s ability to take and process orders. Disruptions to service were reported in Japan, South Korea, Hong Kong, Australia, New Zealand, and later in the UK. McDonald’s told DW that there were also “occasional” technical issues at German branches. McDonald’s Japan first reported a “system failure” and apologized to customers for any inconvenience. A few hours later, it said that many restaurants had temporarily shut.  “Many restaurants across the country have temporarily suspended operations. We apologize for any inconvenience caused to our…

Pakistan has formed a new government led by Shehbaz Sharif — and the message sent to Sharif by India’s Narendra Modi, though brief and simple, felt like a sign of changing times after years of strained ties and occasional cross-border violence. “Congratulations to [Shehbaz Sharif] on being sworn in as the Prime Minister of Pakistan,” Modi wrote on X, formerly Twitter. Sharif responded days later with an equally curt post, thanking Modi for his “felicitations.” But this was enough to get people talking, including diplomats beyond the borders of the two South Asian nations. Following Modi’s message, the US said it…

Applications are open to work in Antarctica’s famous ‘penguin post office’.Successful applicants will be ‘self-motivated’, ’empathetic’ and fine with showering once every two weeks. The shop in Port Lockroy is the southernmost post office in the world and frequently smells like penguin poo.Every year, the Antarctic Heritage Trust is flooded with applications for the jobs. This year, there are three positions on offer and they are only open to UK residents.As well as processing up to 80,000 letters and postcards a year, staff must run the shop and welcome roughly 18,000 cruise passengers who stop by. One applicant, charity manager…

Skip next section Scholz, Macron and Tusk set for 1st ‘Weimar Triangle’ talks in Berlin03/15/2024March 15, 2024Scholz, Macron and Tusk set for 1st ‘Weimar Triangle’ talks in BerlinGerman ChancellorOlaf Scholz will welcome French President Emmanuel Macron in Berlin on Friday. The meeting will be closely followed as it comes amid increased tensions between the two EU powers over how to assist Ukraine in its fight against Russian forces. The leaders will be joined by Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk, marking the first meeting of the so-called Weimar Triangle, since Tusk became prime minister of Poland again in December. The Weimar Triangle format, considered…

After years of strife and war, Libya once again appears to be seeking a political breakthrough. According to the local newspaper Libya Observer, several high-ranking Libyan politicians met in Cairo last weekend for talks on a unity government and elections. The meeting, which was organized by the Arab League, was attended by the President of the Libyan Presidential Council, Mohamed Yunus al-Menfi, who also serves as the country’s president. Other participants were the Chairman of the High Council of State, Mohammed Takala, and Aguila Saleh, the influential speaker of the House of Representatives in Benghazi, which is considered as counterpart to the…

Russia embarks this Friday on three days of voting to reconfirm the inevitable, which is another six-year presidential term for Vladimir Putin.Given the fact this is simply a matter of going through the motions for Putin and for the public, why does it matter and why does his administration go to such lengths to try to secure a resounding so-called victory? First, the war-time context.If turnout and support flag in line with a generalised anxiety regarding how this war ever reaches a conclusion – particularly a war which is pitched as a never-ending conflict with the West – then it…