Author: DW

Bulgaria adopted the euro on Thursday despite opposition in some sectors of society. Christine Lagarde, president of the European Central Bank (ECB), welcomed Bulgaria’s inclusion in the eurozone. “The euro is a powerful symbol of what Europe can achieve when we work together, and of the shared values and collective strength that we can leverage to confront the global geopolitical uncertainty that we face at the moment,” she said in a statement. The Balkan country, an EU member since 2007, joins the single currency zone after Croatia’s entry in January 2023. The move brings the number of Europeans using the currency…

1. Three countries as joint hosts Usually, the World Cup is an event hosted by a single nation, but this has not always been the case. The 2002 World Cup broke new ground when Japan and South Korea, two nations that have not always had an easy relationship, teamed up to host the tournament. The 2026 World Cup goes one further, with three countries — the United States, Canada and Mexico — all hosting. While these countries have usually enjoyed good relations, US ties with Canada and Mexico have become strained since the start of President Donald Trump’s second term in office.…

Save money, eat healthier food or do more sports: The list of the Germans’ most popular New Year’s resolutions would likely sound similar in any country of the Western Hemisphere. Like elsewhere in the world, New Year’s resolutions in Germany are a bit like astrology, in the sense that some people take this very seriously, while others might be sarcastic about the whole concept — but in the end, it’s a great topic for small talk, as everyone has their own very special opinion on the matter. Most people know, of course, that it’s also part of the tradition to abandon any…

Trade data suggests that levels of Russian naphtha, a refined crude oil product, flowing into Taiwan remain steady despite Taipei saying it would reduce volumes. A report published in October by the Helsinki-based Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air (CREA) revealed the Asian country had become the world’s biggest importer of the fossil-fuel derivative from Russia. Ciaran Tyler, lead naphtha research analyst at Brussels, Belgium-based commodity data analytics firm Kpler, said Taiwan’s imports of Russian-origin naphtha have not slowed significantly, even though the country has said it would not renew contracts to buy the product. Kpler data shows naphtha volumes from Russia imported…

The year 2025 marked a turning point in the evolution of disinformation campaigns. AI-generated content, in particular short, viral AI videos, was going viral and was viewed and shared millions of times. Some fakes were just entertaining, others were created to manipulate our opinions, for example on Russia’s war in Ukraine or on politicians like French President Emmanuel Macron.  Powered by generative AI, deepfake technology and micro-targeted social media strategies, these campaigns blurred the line between reality and fake at an unprecedented scale. From synthetic videos influencing voter behavior to false-flag narratives fueling geopolitical tensions, disinformation in 2025 saw a new speed and…

A Hindi-language spy thriller movie named “Dhurandhar” released earlier this month has become a major box office success in India but also divided opinions.   The 3.5-hour-long film features popular actor Ranveer Singh playing an Indian spy who infiltrates criminal networks in Pakistan’s sprawling Karachi city to neutralize threats to Indian national security. The drama is set against the backdrop of tensions between archrivals India and Pakistan, two nuclear-armed South Asian neighbors who earlier this year exchanged intense missile, drone and artillery fire for days. The film has been a huge success at the box office this year and has drawn…

The global economy has weathered a whirlwind of challenges in 2025, including sharp trade tensions, uneven yet moderate growth, and rising concerns over elevated inflation and debt levels in many parts of the world.   As the year draws to a close, many of these problems are expected to continue into 2026. Global growth will moderately slow, from 3.2% in 2025 to 2.9% in 2026, the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) estimates. The organisation, comprising the world’s 38 most advanced economies, says the world economy has proved resilient this year but remains fragile. US President Donald Trump shocked the world…

There is certainly no lack of good ideas for 2026: eating healthier, drinking less alcohol, meditating more often, and so on and so forth. Wait a minute! Aren’t the resolutions you had this past year, and the year before that (and before that, and before that) amazingly similar to the new ones? Indeed! Perhaps they’re even exactly the same. No surprise there. The enthusiasm with which we start each new year is a bit like the fireworks on New Year’s Eve: After a loud bang and bright flash, everything soon fizzles out. Eventually, the inner culprit takes control again. And so it goes year…

British former boxing heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua was injured in a car accident in Nigeria that claimed the lives of two people, his promoter and police both said. The 36-year-old boxer suffered minor injuries as a result of the crash, local police said, adding that they are investigating the accident’s cause. “We are trying to contact Anthony and in the meantime we don’t want to speculate on how he is,” his promoter told British newspaper the Daily Mail, adding that the 36-year-old “appears OK” from the pictures circulating online. Lanre Ogunlowo, police commissioner for Ogun State, told the Associated Press that Joshua…

Lufthansa Airlines, the flag carrier of Germany, takes great pride in its aviation heritage spanning almost a century. Images from the 1920s and 1930s — including Junkers Ju 52 aircraft used by the Luftwaffe — feature prominently in Lufthansa’s marketing, alluding to the “pioneering spirit” of the brand and its place in aviation history. But the story of Lufthansa’s role in the Third Reich war machine, one that includes the large-scale use of forced labor, remains largely under the radar. In fact, Lufthansa is just one of many companies that collaborated with the Nazi regime, big-name brands and business dynasties that continue…