Author: DW

Taiwan’s Defense Ministry on Saturday condemned Beijing for sending balloons toward the self-governing island. China claims Taiwan as part of its territory. In recent years, it has increasingly conducted military drills around the island. What did the statement say? In December, the Defense Ministry in Taipei began reporting the appearance of Chinese balloons around Taiwan. “Based on their recent drift path, (the balloons) have posed a serious threat to the safety of many international aviation routes,” the ministry said on Saturday, accusing China of having a “disregard for aviation safety.” “(The) main purpose of the recent detection of balloons is…

Despite Russia having significantly greater firepower, its illegal invasion of Ukraine has not gone according to plan.Although Ukraine was not a member of NATO, the West responded to President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s appeal for help with a mass of hi-tech weapons and ammunition. However, following nearly two years of high-intensity conflict, both sides are running out of munitions.Ukraine-Russia war – latest updates Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player 1:00 Zelenskyy: ‘Evil will be defeated’ Inspired by Ukraine’s initial successes at liberating 12,000 sq km of occupied Kharkiv in September 2022, the West provided a huge volume of…

Scientists have made a breakthrough in electronics, creating the world’s first functional semiconductor made from graphene — a material known for being tough, flexible, light and with a high resistance. Their discovery comes at a time when silicon, the material from which nearly all modern electronics are made, is reaching its limit. Scientists have been racing to develop graphene semiconductors because of their superior speed and energy efficiency compared to silicon. The study, published in Nature on January 3, demonstrates a functional graphene semiconductor which is suitable for use in nanoelectronics. The authors said the discovery could mark a major step toward the next generation of computing, throwing open…

Actor and singer David Soul, who gained international celebrity as the more cerebral half of the renegade California detective partners “Starsky and Hutch” in the hit 1970s television series, has died at the age of 80.  “David Soul — beloved husband, father, grandfather and brother — died yesterday after a valiant battle for life in the loving company of his family,” his wife, Helen Snell, said on Friday. “He shared many extraordinary gifts in the world as actor, singer, storyteller, creative artist and dear friend,” she said. “His smile, laughter and passion for life will be remembered by the many…

Bangladesh is holding a general election on Saturday, January 7, a vote tarnished by an opposition boycott and concerns over fairness and inclusiveness.    Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and her ruling Awami League party are seeking a fourth consecutive term. Critics allege she is suppressing the opposition and undermining the process for a free and fair election. Hasina’s time in office has seen mass arrests of her political opponents and human rights sanctions against her security forces. The leader of the South Asian country’s main opposition party, 78-year-old Khaleda Zia, is in ailing health and confined in a hospital after graft charges…

In positive news for businesses and households, inflation for 2023 as a whole fell in comparison with 2022, figures published by German statistics agency Destatis showed on Thursday. However, after months of steady decline, price rises started to pick up again in December. How do the numbers look? Destatis said inflation stood at 5.9% for the whole of 2023, down from 6.9% in 2022 — a figure that had not been seen for decades. Inflation has been falling month by month since June when the last increase was recorded,. Inflation did, however, climb again in December. Consumer prices rose 3.7% year-on-year…

South African Oscar Pistorius was released on parole on Friday, nearly 11 years after murdering his then-girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp in an incident the former Paralympic star claimed was an act of self-defense. “The Department of Correctional Services (DCS) is able to confirm that Oscar Pistorius is a parolee, effectively from 5 January 2024. He was admitted into the system of Community Corrections and is now at home,” the DCS said in a statement. The athlete killed Steenkamp, a 29-year-old law graduate and model, by firing four shots through the bathroom door at his Pretoria home in the early hours of Valentine’s Day in 2013. Pistorius, now…

A drone boat packed with explosives has detonated in the Red Sea.The US navy says the vessel belonged to Houthi rebels, and no damage or casualties have been reported since the blast. Houthis, who control much of Yemen and are aligned with Iran, have launched multiple attacks on commercial vessels in the Red Sea since November. Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player 1:08 Who are the Houthis? The group say the attacks are a protest against Israel’s military operations in Gaza.International shipping has been severely disrupted as a result, with multiple companies suspending journeys through the…

Scientists have made a breakthrough in electronics, creating the world’s first functional semiconductor made from graphene — a material known for being tough, flexible, light, and with a high resistance. Their discovery comes at a time when silicon, the material from which nearly all modern electronics are made, is reaching its limit. Scientists have been racing to develop graphene semiconductors because of their superior speed and energy efficiency compared to silicon. The study, published in Natureon January 3, demonstrates a functional graphene semiconductor which is suitable for use in nanoelectronics. The authors say the discovery could mark a major step towards the next generation of computing…

Ambassadors from Ukraine and NATO countries are set to hold a special meeting next week, as Kyiv calls for urgent deliveries of air defense equipment to protect it from increasingly intense Russian strikes. Over the New Year period, Russia launched some of its heaviest missile and drone attacks on Ukraine since the early days of the invasion in February 2022. At least 32 people were killed in Ukraine in the December 29 attack. “NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg will convene a meeting of the NATO-Ukraine Council next Wednesday,” NATO spokesman Dylan White said.  “The meeting will be held at ambassadorial level and is…