Author: DW

Seven-time Formula One world champion Lewis Hamilton has activated a clause in his contract that will enable him to leave his Mercedes team at the end of this coming season, a year earlier than scheduled, Hamilton and the team said on Thursday evening.  The statement followed a day in which several specialist publications had already reported Hamilton would be joining Ferrari for the 2025 season.  “I have had an amazing 11 years with this team, and I’m so proud of what we have achieved together. Mercedes has been part of my life since I was 13 years old,” Hamilton said…

Frustration with Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban was palpable among European Union (EU) leaders arriving at a summit in Brussels on Thursday to discuss an aid package for Ukraine. For weeks, Orban had been holding back the EU from agreeing upon funds that would prop up Ukraine’s economy, which has been straining under the ongoing war efforts after Russia’s full-scale invasion in 2022. However, the leaders came to a surprisingly quick result: Within an hour of meeting, the 27 EU members signed off a new €50 billion ($54 billion) aid package to support Ukraine’s economy through 2027. The funds consist of grants and loans financed…

It sounds counterintuitive: While Germany, like many countries, struggles to find enough workers, dozens of companies are starting an experiment that will see employees work a day less. In February, 45 companies and organizations in Europe’s largest economy will introduce a 4-day workweek for half a year. Employees will continue to receive their full salary. The initiative is led by the consulting firm Intraprenör in collaboration with the non-profit organization 4 Day Week Global (4DWG). Advocates argue that a 4-day workweek would increase worker productivity and, by consequence, help alleviate the country’s skilled labor shortage. Germany has a long-held reputation for industriousness and…

Police detained an armed man who earlier on Thursday took staff hostage at a Procter & Gamble factory in northwestern Turkey. The seven hostages were taken as an apparent protest against Israel’s military campaign in Gaza, according to the local governor’s office. The office in Kocaeli province said the hostages had not been harmed during their ordeal. What happened? Earlier, a man carrying a gun entered the Procter & Gamble factory in the Gebze industrial zone in Kocaeli province around 3 p.m. local time (1200 GMT) on Thursday, according to media reports. A police spokesperson was quoted by the AFP news agency…

The idea of Lewis Hamilton moving to Ferrari is simultaneously shocking but not remotely surprising.Hamilton is, obviously, a prodigiously talented driver. We all know that. But he’s not just fast, he’s smart. At his best, he can manage races and exploit the strengths of the car while minimising its weaknesses.And, like the very best drivers, he always keeps a bit of brain space free for analysing what his opponents are doing.It’s that blend of outright speed and tactical nous that separates the greats from the rest. Image: ‘The Professor’ Alain Prost. Pic: AP There is a reason why Alain Prost,…

For Konstantin Lokhanov, there are two main advantages to living in the United States. The first is the warm weather, the second goes a bit deeper. “Freedom,” Lokhanov told DW at a fencing club in San Diego, California, where he now resides. The 25-year-old’s life changed overnight when the first Russian troops flooded into Ukraine. As chance would have it, Lokhanov was in Germany at the time, undergoing an operation on his hip. A few minutes after waking up from surgery, he made up his mind never to return to Russia. “I don’t like the feeling that you cannot say anything,” Lokhanov said.…

Farmers have blocked roads leading to a European Union summit in Brussels on Thursday, using some 1,000 tractors, Belgian police said.  A police spokesman told the French AFP news agency that “there are 1,000 tractors or agricultural machinery.” Angry farmers are complaining about taxes, rising costs, cheap imports, rules and bureaucracy. They are hoping their protests will make their voices heard at the summit.Farmers clash with police outside EU summitTo view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video What happened at the protests? Riot police stood guard behind barriers where EU…

North Korea, the world’s most isolated state, is this year expected to return to economic growth for the first time since before the pandemic, as weapons deliveries to sustain Russia’s invasion of Ukraine boost state coffers. Since August, North Korea has made 10 weapons transfers of an estimated one million shells in Russia, according to South Korea’s National Intelligence Service. Other reports suggest Pyongyang has also delivered ballistic missiles to Russia’s military, citing US satellite images. Both Pyongyang and Moscow have denied the transfers have taken place. The secret deal between North Korean President Kim Jong Un and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin is…

Football fans at the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) have been treated to a thrilling rollercoaster of excitement, drama, and unexpected twists. The 34th edition of the tournament, currently being held in Ivory Coast, has witnessed electrifying atmospheres in the stands, with fans donning vibrant costumes and dancing tirelessly. To some, this is why AFCON is worth its weight in gold. “AFCON is the most entertaining competition in the world,” said football fan Isidore Nyuykighan following South Africa’s shock defeat of Morocco. “The vibes, the intensity, the unpredictability, the chaos, the rivalries, and much more that just make the competition special.” On and off the pitch,…

A pigeon accused of being a Chinese spy has been cleared by police and released back into the wild.The bird was detained by officers after it was captured in May last year near a port in Mumbai, news agency Press Trust of India reported. It was found with two rings tied to its legs featuring words that appeared to be Chinese.Detectives suspected the pigeon was involved in espionage and took it in, before later sending it to Mumbai’s Bai Sakarbai Dinshaw Petit Hospital for Animals.However, after eight months in captivity, it emerged that the creature was an open-water racing bird…