Author: DW

Michael van Gerwen has denied young sensation Luke Littler a second successive World Series title after defeating him in the Dutch Darts Masters final.The Dutchman beat the teenager 8-6 in the city of Den Bosch, avenging a loss to the 17-year-old last week in Bahrain where Littler lifted the trophy. Wishing to recover from the loss in the World Darts Championship final, Littler faced Luke Humphries once more – this time in the quarter-finals – and beat him in a final leg thriller.Luke “The Nuke” then despatched world number five Gerwyn Price, before falling at the final hurdle to world…

A spectator at a Bundesliga game between Cologne and VfL Wolfsburg on Saturday took over the fourth official role as emergency backup, replacing an assistant referee who could no longer do his job after getting hit in the face by the ball. Assistant referee Thorben Siewer had to leave the game after a powerful clearance from Cologne footballer Max Finkgräfe hit him in the face. The game came to a halt in the 14th minute, when the seemingly dazed Siewer was helped off the field. “He’s doing well under the circumstances. He’s been taken to hospital and will probably have to stay there…

An exhibition at Auschwitz will commemorate Yugoslav Holocaust victims once again after years of neglect that followed the country’s disintegration. Over a decade of lobbying and negotiations went into the agreement between the successor states of Yugoslavia to set up the exhibition on the victims of the Holocaust at the Auschwitz-Birkenau Memorial and Museum in Poland. “Today, 14 years of diplomatic negotiations are finally bearing fruit,” Audrey Azoulay, the director of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), said during the January 25 ceremony at the Yugoslav Pavilion in Paris to celebrate the agreement to redesign the exhibition. “This historic agreement fills…

The more likely it seems that Donald Trump will be the Republican Party’s nominee for the US presidency, the louder the voices become that warn Europe to prepare itself for a second Trump term in the White House. In an interview with French public broadcaster France 2, Christine Lagarde, president of the European Central Bank, described the possible election of Donald Trump as a “clear threat” to Europe. Belgian Prime Minister Alexander De Croo told the European Parliament in mid-January that “if 2024 brings us ‘America First’ again, it is really more than ever ‘Europe on its own.'” In a paper…

The head of the UN refugee agency for Palestinians (UNRWA) has said the decision by nine countries to pause funding for the aid agency is “shocking”.The suspension of funding by countries including the UK and US followed allegations UNRWA staff were involved in the 7 October Hamas attacks on Israel. “These decisions threaten our ongoing humanitarian work across the region including and especially in the Gaza Strip,” commissioner general Philippe Lazzarini said.Follow live: ‘Ironclad’ intel shows UN agency staff links to Hamas”UNRWA is the primary humanitarian agency in Gaza, with over two million people depending on it for their sheer…

One day, when Bouchra Karboubi was 14, her brothers tore up her linesman’s flag. They did not want their sister to bring “hchouma” – or “shame” – on the family. About 23 years later, Karboubi is one of Morocco’s most famous women – at least for anyone who has a passing interest in football. The 36-year-old is one of five female officials at the 34th edition of the men’s Africa Cup of Nations. “I’m really proud,” Karboubi tells DW. “This assignment is a dream come true for me. When I started refereeing many years ago, I never dreamed this would happen.…

European Council President Charles Michel has announced he is backtracking on his plans to run in the European Parliament elections scheduled for June. The Belgian politician referred to “extreme reactions” to his decision from outside the European Council, suggesting it guided his decision. He also said he was subjected to “personal attacks.” “For all these reasons, and to maintain the focus of my mission, I will not be a candidate in the European elections. I will devote all my efforts to my current responsibilities with steadfast determination until they come to an end,” Michel said in a social media statement…

Mali’s ruling junta issued a decree to establish a new committee that will oversee a national peace dialogue. The move comes a day after the junta scrapped a key 2015 peace deal with northern separatist groups, accusing mediator Algeria of interfering in its affairs. Algeria previously mediated between the government and mainly Tuareg armed groups. “There will be no negotiations outside Bamako. We will no longer… go to a foreign country to speak about our problems,” the military-appointed head of government, Choguel Kokalla Maiga, said in a video posted on social media on Friday. Tuareg rebels reject the initiative The…

The UK will temporarily pause funding to the UN’s relief agency in Gaza over claims members were involved in Hamas’ attack on Israel.The United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) said on Friday it sacked “several” employees over accusations by Israel that 12 employees were involved in the 7 October attack. In the wake of the allegations, the Foreign Office says it is “temporarily pausing any future funding of UNRWA whilst we review these concerning allegations”.Follow live: US destroys Houthi anti-ship missile in YemenIt said it was “appalled” by the claims, adding: “We remain committed to getting humanitarian aid to…

“There are no more small teams; all the countries are now well prepared,” Gernot Rohr, coach of Benin, told DW. The 70-year-old German has had a pitch side seat as a TV analyst at the Africa Cup of Nations in Ivory Coast, where fans have been left astounded by the performances of small countries like Cape Verde and Equatorial Guinea. They are among the smallest countries in Africa by population. But they are punching well above their weight. Both teams won their groups against established teams and former champions Nigeria, Ivory Coast, Egypt, and Ghana. For avid African football observers, these results…