Author: DW

The European Union on Wednesday announced a number of measures it hopes will help keep sensitive technology and key infrastructure out of the hands of global rivals, notably China.   The proposed rules will require more rigorous screening of investments from abroad, tighter controls on exports and more restrictions on who can participate in researching key technologies. Facing “profound geopolitical turmoil and fast technological shifts” the EU has to reduce security risks from trade and investment, EU Trade Commissioner Valdis Dombrovskis said in a statement. Although the plan does not mention any specific country, the initiatives come as the EU focuses on “de-risking” its economic relations with China,…

German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock has called for greater “pressure” to be applied to both sides to find a negotiated solution to the ongoing conflict in Sudan. Setting off on a multi-day trip to Djibouti, Kenya and South Sudan, Baerbock said in a statement that she wanted to discuss ways to bring the warring Sudanese generals Burhan and Hemedti to the negotiating table “so that they do not drag the people of Sudan further into the abyss and destabilize the region further.” Since April 2023, Sudan has been gripped by a civil war that has pitted army chief and de…

A major monument dedicated to peace and the possibility of reunification between North Korea and South Korea appears to have been demolished under the orders of Kim Jong Un.Mr Kim recently vowed to launch new spy satellites, build military drones and boost his nuclear arsenal, saying US policy was making war inevitable. Last week, he described South Korea as a “primary foe” and said unification was no longer possible.Satellite imagery of Pyongyang on Tuesday showed the Arch of Reunification, which symbolised hopes for Korean reunification after a landmark inter-Korea summit in 2000, was no longer there, according to a report…

Skip next section Ukraine’s Kuleba says Taurus talks still ongoing with Germany01/24/2024January 24, 2024Ukraine’s Kuleba says Taurus talks still ongoing with Germany’Taurus for Ukraine’ reads one sign held by protesters in BerlinImage: Annette Riedl/dpa/picture allianceUkrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said he is still talking with the German government about obtaining German-made Taurus cruise missiles to aid in fighting off the Russian invasion. German Chancellor Olaf Scholz has so far rejected supplying Taurus missiles to Ukraine, apparently fearing an escalation of the conflict if German missiles were used to attack Russian territory.  However, in an interview with news outlets Bild, Welt.tv and Politico, Kuleba…

It’s often described as the world’s first oil crisis. In the early 1970s, oil-producing Arab states decided to impose an oil embargo on the United States and others, including the Netherlands and Portugal, to punish them for their support of Israel. In October 1973, Syria and Egypt had launched attacks on Israel in an attempt to recapture territory, including the Sinai Peninsula and Golan Heights, that Israel had occupied after Israeli-Arab fighting in 1967. Other Arab nations, such as leading oil-producer Saudi Arabia, supported the effort with the “oil weapon,” as it was described by some at the time. The oil…

A 16-year-old Ukrainian tennis player is being investigated by her home country for shaking hands with her Russian opponent at the end of their match at the Australian Open.Yelyzaveta Kotliar had just lost 6-2 6-4 in her first round clash in the junior singles with Vlada Micheva when the pair met at the net as part of the normal “post-match ritual”. Ukrainian players on the tennis circuit have refused to shake hands with opponents from Russia and Belarus after Moscow’s initial attack on their country.The Ukrainian Tennis Federation (UTF) said it was looking into the “unpleasant incident” at Melbourne Park…

German actress Sandra Hüller has been making waves at international film festivals after starring in two highly acclaimed films in 2023. Now, she’s been nominated for an Oscar in the best actress category for her role in the crime thriller “Anatomy of a Fall.” Hüller played a Nazi in Jonathan Glazer’s Holocaust drama “The Zone of Interest” and a successful German writer accused of murdering her husband in “Anatomy of a Fall,” directed by Justine Triet. Both films have also been nominated for an Oscar in the best picture and best director categories. This is only the third time a German actress has been…

Modern footballis hoping to keep the product of the world’s most popular sport entertaining, but a new format of the beautiful game is emerging. This week, the Baller League began in Germany, an idea run by World Cup winners Mats Hummels and Lukas Podolski. This is an indoor, six-a-side football league in which hopeful amateurs, ex-pros and celebrities compete. An American style draft system helped filter out the 16,000 players who applied for a spot on the 12 teams being run by presidents such as Kevin-Prince Boateng, who played for the likes of AC Milan, Barcelona and Hertha Berlin, and current Wolfsburg winger Jule Brand.…

Thailand’s Constitutional Court ruled on Wednesday that former prime ministerial candidate Pita Limjaroenrat had not broken election rules and lifted his suspension from the country’s parliament. Under reformist candidate Pita, the progressive Move Forward Party (MFP) won the most votes in last year’s general election, promising to reform Thailand’s strict royal insult laws, reduce the power of the military and break up business monopolies. But the 43-year-old was blocked from becoming prime minister and suspended as a member of parliament over claims that he had violated election law by owning shares in a media company while the MFP was excluded from…

The European Union on Wednesday will announce a number of measures it hopes will help keep sensitive technology and key infrastructure out of the hands of global rivals, notably China.   The proposed rules would require more rigorous screening of investments from abroad, tighter controls on exports and more restrictions on who can participate in researching key technologies. Although the plan does not mention any specific country, the initiatives come as the EU focuses on “de-risking” its economic relations with China, the bloc’s most important trading partner. According to a draft text seen by the AFP news agency, the plan will address “risks to EU economic security while ensuring that…