Author: DW

Labor unions in Guinea have threatened a nationwide strike if the government does not reduce the cost of living in the West African nation.  Guinea has been led since September 2021 by a military junta that deposed the country’s first democratically-elected president. The ruling junta recently increased the price of importing of basic food items into the country — which has resulted in an unprecedented price increase in markets across the country.  “Life is very expensive today in Guinea,” Mabinty Bangoura, a government worker and housewife told DW, adding that “the authorities have willingly increased the price of a bag of rice, and traders…

Russia is secretly developing a new kind of satellite-killing space weapon, according to US intelligence watchdogs in Washington.The Biden administration is gathering highly sensitive information about the new capability, which is not yet operational but could potentially be a game changer in the war in Ukraine. Russia has denied the claims but the chair of a powerful congressional intelligence committee on Capitol Hill in Washington has issued an urgent warning about Russia’s alleged ambitions.Space is the new frontier in military technology and never more so than during the Ukraine war. Ukraine has pioneered the use of satellites and AI to…

The Berlin International Film Festival, or Berlinale — one of the world’s major international film festivals alongside Cannes and Venice — opens on February 15 and will feature appearances by stars such as film director Martin Scorsese and the actors Kristen Stewart and Cillian Murphy. But controversy over this year’s event has begun even before the red carpet is rolled out: The invitation — and subsequent disinvitation — of politicians from Germany’s far-right political party Alternative for Germany (AfD) has made waves. After days of discussion, the Berlinale management duo, comprised of Dutch director Mariette Rissenbeek and Italian journalist Carlo Chatrian, withdrew invitations to five AfD politicians…

Senegal had planned presidential elections to take place on February 25. However, the parliament has since voted to push back the vote until December 15. Senegalese President Macky Sall announced the delay on February 3, just one day before the election campaign was scheduled to get underway across the West African nation. Sall said he postponed the vote because of a dispute between parliament and the Constitutional Court over the rejection of some candidates.The UN called for prompt and independent investigations into the killings of protestersImage: GUY PETERSON/AFP Deaths: ‘It’s sickening’ Protesters took to the streets in response to Sall’s decision to delay the…

German carmaker Volkswagen (VW) on Wednesday said there had been a hold-up in the delivery of certain models to the US market over issues related to a car part — which according to a Financial Times (FT) report — may have violated US anti-forced labor laws. “We are working to rectify a delay in delivering certain Volkswagen Group vehicles from ports to dealers due to a customs issue,” the Reuters news agency quoted Volkswagen as saying in a statement. Report points to Chinese-made component The FT reported that thousands of Porsche, Bentley and Audi vehicles had been impounded at US…

An elderly man from Alaska has become the first person to die after contracting Alaskapox – a recently discovered viral disease.But how dangerous is Alaskapox, how many people have caught it and what are the symptoms? Here’s everything you need to know. What is it?Alaskapox, or AKPV, is a double-stranded DNA virus with officials saying it appears to be zoonotic, primarily circulating across Alaska’s state mammals with occasional transmission to humans.It’s a type of bug known as an orthopoxvirus. The most well-known variation of this type of virus is smallpox. There’s also camelpox, cowpox, horsepox and mpox – formerly known…

The red carpet is once again rolled out to greet stars and filmmakers from all over the world, while hundreds of films will be screened over 10 days at the Berlin International Film Festival. Alongside Cannes and Venice, it is one of the world’s major film festivals. Taking place from February 15-25, the 74th Berlinale kicks off on Thursday with the world premiere of “Small Things Like These,” an Irish-Belgian production directed by Tim Mielants and starring Cillian Murphy, Eileen Walsh, Michelle Fairley and Emily Watson. Cillian Murphy stars in opening film ‘Small Things Like These,’ based on Claire Keegan’s 2021 bestselling novelImage:…

Latvia, one of the European Union’s smallest member states with a population of fewer than 2 million, has emerged as the number-one supplier of whisky to its heavily-sanctioned neighbor Russia. In the first nine months of last year, Russia imported almost €244 million ($266 million) worth of the amber-colored spirit. Of that total, almost three quarters came from Latvia, according to figures published by the Russian news agency RIA Novosti. In second place came another Baltic country, Lithuania, which sold Russia €27 million worth of whisky. Latvia, which has a frigid climate and produces negligible amounts of wine compared to viticulture…

US and Canadian cities have been dealing with the aftermath of a powerful and fast-moving storm which buried streets under snow and left one person dead.People have been seen trying to free their cars on Wednesday after up to 12 inches of snow fell on the the cities of Halifax and Sydney in eastern Canada. It comes after the winter storm, called Nor’easter, led to the cancellation of more than 1,000 flights in the northeast of the US on Tuesday morning, mostly at airports in the New York City area and in Boston. Image: Two people shovel snow in Sydney,…

The man suspected of abducting Madeleine McCann goes on trial for sex crimes on Friday – but on charges unrelated to the disappearance of the young British girl.German drifter Christian B is accused of three rapes and two sex assaults. The youngest alleged victim was 10 and the oldest was in their 70s when the offences are said to have taken place. German privacy laws mean media outlets cannot make Christian B identifiable – which is why Sky News has covered most of his face and not given his full surname.The alleged victims in relation to the trial include Irish…