Author: DW

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…

As India’s general elections draw closer, officials have been preparing for world’s largest event management exercise. DW looks at what’s involved. Source link

Josh Cavallo, who in 2021 became the first out gay male professional footballer in Australia, is engaged after an on-pitch proposal to his partner, Leighton Morrell, at Adelaide United’s home ground.The 24-year-old made international headlines when he came out publicly in an emotional video, announcing: “There’s something personal that I need to share with everyone: I’m a footballer, and I am gay.” He said at the time he had been fighting his sexuality for more than six years and was tired of living a “double life”.On Thursday, he thanked the Australian A-league club for helping him set up the surprise…

Polio is a very contagious viral disease caused by the poliovirus. It can cause permanent disability and even death, especially in children under the age of five. There are two types of polio present in the world today: Wild poliovirus and vaccine-derived poliovirus. The latter originates from an oral polio vaccine, known as the Sabin vaccine, or OPV.  Wild poliovirus has been eradicated in most countries, aside from Afghanistan and Pakistan. Vaccine-derived poliovirus has been found in Yemen and central Africa. Both the wild and the vaccine-derived forms have three types of viruses — types 1, 2 and 3. Although vaccine-derived polio…

It has become clear in the last few years that the old saying that “every man has his price” is just as applicable to sport as anything else. This has obviously not been lost on Saudi Arabia, which has been pumping huge sums of money into sport for years. Three examples are the LIV golf tournament series, Formula 1, and football — with the Gulf state expected to host the 2034 World Cup. According to the Saudi government, the investments are merely part of the “Vision 2030” development plan, with which Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed Bin Salman is…

Daniel Freund isn’t mincing words about why the decision to release €10.2 billion in frozen funds to Hungary should be investigated.  “We think that this decision was illegal and we want this checked now by the court,” the German Green member of the European Parliament said, explaining why his party and a majority of lawmakers want the European Court of Justice to investigate the European Commission’s December 13 decision to release the funds.  On Thursday, the court agreed to do so and the Commission has said it will defend itself. “The Commission considers that it acted in full compliance with EU law…

Spain’s lower house of parliament, the Congress of Deputies, approved on Thursday a bill granting amnesty to Catalans involved in a 2017 independence referendum. It must still clear the conservative-dominated Senate. Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez relied on the support of the Catalan separatist Junts party in order to form government. The bill passed with 178 votes in favor and 172 against. More to come…  sdi/wmr (AFP, Reuters) Source link