Author: DW

More than 170 Boeing planes worldwide have been temporarily grounded after a chunk of fuselage dramatically blew out of a brand-new passenger jet in mid-air. US regulators say immediate inspections are needed after an Alaska Airlines plane suffered a cabin emergency shortly after take-off on Friday. Photos showed a gaping hole in the side of the Boeing 737-9 MAX – and although the jet landed safely with more than 174 passengers and six crew in Oregon, phones and a boy’s shirt were sucked out of the plane. Image: A gaping hole could be seen in the side of the aircraft. Pic:…

The long journey of the ‘Three Wise Men’ to the Rhineland begins with the history of the Roman Catholic Church — and an emperor’s mother, who was an avid collector of holy relics. In the year 313, Emperor Constantine the Great, ruler of the Roman Empire, issued the Edict of Milan, a declaration that legalized Christianity across the Roman Empire. Many Romans renounced the gods of antiquity and embraced the new faith. Among them was Helena, the emperor’s mother. She also embarked on finding all possible places and objects that had something to do with Jesus of Nazareth. In Jerusalem, she allegedly discovered…

Brazilian football legend Mario Zagallo died aged 92 on Friday, with the exact cause of death not immediately shared. Zagallo won two World Cups as a player, one as a coach and another as an assistant coach for Brazil.  He became the first person ever to win the World Cup both as a player and manager back in 1970, and has been revered among Brazilian football fans for generations.  Brazilian soccer confederation president Ednaldo Rodrigues said in a statement early on Saturday that Zagallo “is one of the biggest legends” of the sport. “We offer solidarity to his family members and…

Officers on Friday shot dead a German man wielding a machete in the state of Burgenland in eastern Austria, police said. What do we know? Police were called to a domestic dispute to a house in the town of Bad Sauerbrunn, where they encountered the 55-year-old man, who was threatening his wife with a machete. Police say the man ignored orders to put down his weapon and cooperate, and the use of pepper spray also had no effect. The man then attacked and injured an officer, after which he was shot at by police. Authorities said that the German citizen…

Many of the world’s economic crises of recent years have been about supply chains. Pandemic lockdowns, the war in Ukraine and the overall surge in global inflation all impacted, or were impacted by, the flow of global trade and the myriad moving parts that keep it all going. As 2023 turns to 2024, a new threat to global supply chains has emerged in the Red Sea. The world’s largest container-shipping companies have been pausing or suspending their services in the area because of the increasing number of attacks on ships there by Iran-backed Houthi rebels operating from Yemen. Any hope of some…

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…