Author: DW

Swedish prosecutors said on Wednesday they would drop their investigation into the September 2022 explosions on the underwater Nord Stream pipelines. The cause of the blasts in the pipelines built to carry Russian natural gas to Germany is unknown, but it is widely believed that they were the result of an attack. Denmark and Germany are also examining the circumstances surrounding the blasts, and Sweden said it would hand evidence uncovered in their probe over to German investigators. Public prosecutor Mats Ljungqvist said there was no Swedish jurisdiction in the case.  The prosecution authority’s investigation was “to establish whether Swedish…

Killer whales shown packed together and gasping for air in a tiny ice hole off Japan have been able to escape, according to officials.About a dozen orcas were spotted bobbing up and down about half a mile from Rausu in the northeastern coast of Hokkaido. Officials said a rescue would be difficult as the ice was too thick, but when they returned on Tuesday evening it appeared that the pod had moved north.By Wednesday the whales were no longer in the area and it is believed they managed to free themselves, according to Rausu official Masataka Shirayanagi.The whales were spotted…

Namibia managed a peaceful power handover in the early hours of Sunday after the death of President Hage Geingob. The 82-year-old leader, in power since 2015, died after a brief battle with cancer. His successor, interim President Nangolo Mbumba, took the helm. But he has no plans to run for the presidential election due in November this year. “I am not going to be around for the elections, so don’t panic,” Mbumba said at his swearing-in ceremony the day his predecessor died. Mbumba’s decision is rare among African leaders, who often remain in power, ignoring the laws restricting their constitutional term limits.  “Our nation remains calm and stable…

Five people were killed and 27 miners are missing after a landslide struck a mining village in southern Philippines, authorities said on Wednesday. Disaster officials also added that 31 people were injured, 11 severely, as the mudslide engulfed houses and two buses in Masara village. The disaster struck the gold mining village in Davao de Oro province following heavy rains that have swamped the region in recent weeks. “There was no sign that a landslide would occur because the rains stopped on Thursday and by Friday it was already sunny and hot,” provincial disaster official Edward Macapili said. Military joins…

At least 12 people have been killed in an explosion in southwestern Pakistan outside the office of an independent election candidate, according to local officials.Khanzai hospital, close to the site of the explosion, said 12 were killed and more than two dozen injured. Pishin Deputy Commissioner Jumma Dad Khan said the blast had injured many people.The explosion happened in the Balochistan region of the country.No one immediately claimed responsibility for the attack. Pakistan has been gripped by a wave of violence ahead of general elections tomorrow.On Monday at least 10 police personnel were killed and six others injured in a…

There has been an unprecedented fall in fossil fuel use in the EU and UK – with renewables continuing to grow, according to a new report.EU and UK coal and gas power fell respectively by 19% and 16% in 2023, according to the European Electricity Review published on Wednesday by thinktank Ember. “Europe is entering a new era of energy transition, with the cleanest power sectors ever in the UK and the EU last year,” said Ember’s Europe programme director Sarah Brown.”Fossil fuels are playing a smaller role than ever as a system with wind and solar as its backbone…

A man has died, and two others have been injured, by a cackle of marauding hyenas in Kenya.The attack took place near the Multimedia University of Kenya on the outskirts of the capital, Nairobi, on Monday night. The university is located near the western border of Nairobi National Park – home to several species of carnivorous animals including hyenas, lions, and cheetahs. Datawrapper This content is provided by Datawrapper, which may be using cookies and other technologies. To show you this content, we need your permission to use cookies. You can use the buttons below to amend your preferences to…

The US House of Representatives voted on Tuesday against impeaching Democratic President Joe Biden’s top border official, Alejandro Mayorkas. The call was expected to be tight, and so it proved, as three Republicans ultimately sided with Democrats in a vote that ended 216-214 in the Homeland Security Secretary’s favor. Mayorkas came under fire from Republican lawmakers who were keen for an impeachment of the Democrat over illegal entries across the United States’ southern border. Chaotic scene in the House  Given the unified opposition from Democrats, the Republican majority was pressed to secure nearly unanimous support to pass the impeachment vote. It eventually missed the…

Controversial right-wing media personality Tucker Carlson says he will soon interview Russian President Vladimir Putin, confirming recent rumours.It would be the first time Mr Putin is interviewed by Western media since the invasion of Ukraine began. In a video shared on X, Mr Carlson – who was sacked from Fox News in April last year and has been a vocal supporter of Mr Putin – said he is doing the interview to “inform” Americans.”Not a single Western journalist has bothered to interview the president of the other country involved in this conflict, Vladimir Putin,” he said, a claim that has…

A British-owned cargo vessel has been attacked in the Red Sea, the UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) said.The ship was attacked west of Hodeida in Yemen just after midnight on Tuesday. Yemen’s Iranian-backed Houthis claimed responsibility for the attack. Image: Morning Tide. Pic: Marine Express AG The UKMTO said the ship’s master was “aware of a small craft on his Port side” before a projectile was fired at the ship.No crew were injured and the vessel sustained small damages to its bridge windows. The vessel was deemed safe to continue its journey.Maritime security firm Ambrey identified the vessel as a…