Author: DW

China has handed an Australian writer a suspended death sentence – five years after he was arrested on suspicion of spying.Pro-democracy academic Dr Yang Hengjun was detained at Guangzhou Airport in 2019 accused of espionage for a country China has not publicly identified. Dr Yang’s sentence, which comes three years after a closed-door trial, could be commuted to life imprisonment after two years if he doesn’t commit any serious crimes in that period, according to the Australian government.He has denied working as a spy for Australia or the US, with letters to family and supporters sent from jail further denying…

It’s well known that smoking weed can give you the munchies. But exactly how cannabis stimulates appetite, and why that’s useful knowledge, has been revealed by new research in the US. The researchers at Washington State University exposed rats and mice to cannabis vapor to stimulate specific brain regions associated with appetite. They also observed the rodents’ feeding behavior, such as how often they ate. Independent experts that DW contacted, such as Donald Abrams, an oncologist at University of California San Francisco, suggested the findings were a useful addition to existing research into the medicinal application of cannabis. “Rats are not people,” said Abrams. “But as one…

David Beckham was booed by Inter Miami fans who demanded a refund after Lionel Messi did not play in a pre-season friendly in Hong Kong.Messi, who has been suffering from a hamstring injury, was left on the bench as his side beat Hong Kong XI 4-1. Footage on social media showed angry fans chanting “refund” before a post-match speech from Beckham was greeted with boos. Image: Inter Miami co-owner David Beckham waves to the crowd. Pic: AP The Hong Kong government said match organisers Tatler Asia could face a reduction in funding.Its sports minister Kevin Yeung said the government’s funding…

Palestinian gunmen have kept up attacks on Israeli forces in the Gaza Strip’s two main cities – weeks after they were overrun by troops and tanks.Nearly four months into the war triggered by Hamas’s deadly cross-border attack in Israel, there was persistent fighting in Gaza City in the north of the besieged region, and in Khan Younis to the south. It came as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said his military had destroyed most of the Hamas’s battalions and would “deal with” the ones that remained in southern Gaza – including in the border town of Rafah, where many Palestinians…

The 66th Grammy Awards saw female artists dominate the nominations at America’s biggest music night on Sunday, with Taylor Swift taking home the most coveted award of the night — album of the year for “Midnight.” “I would love to tell you this is the best moment of my life, but I feel this happy when I finish a song, or when I crack the code to a bridge that I love, or when I’m shortlisting a music video, or when I’m working with my dancers,” Swift said as she accepted the album of the year Grammy for “Midnights.” “For me,…

The death toll from intense wildfires raging in central Chile has climbed to at least 112. The Interior Ministry said late Sunday that the medical examiner’s office had received 112 dead victims, 32 of whom have been identified, and that there are 40 fires still active in the country. The AFP news agency reported that some of the dead were seen lying on the road, covered by sheets. “I’ve been talking to residents here over the last hour or so and everybody’s been saying that they keep finding bodies and these are bodies that have not been included in the…

US senators announced a $118 billion (€109.5 billion) bipartisan bill on Sunday aimed at bolstering border security as well as providing aid to Ukraine and Israel. But it faces an uncertain future amid opposition from hardline Republicans. The legislative package includes around $20 billion for US border security measures, $60 billion for Ukraine and $14.1 billion in security assistance for Israel. The proposal also includes $10 billion in humanitarian aid for civilians in Gaza, the West Bank and Ukraine. US President Joe Biden said he strongly supports the bill.  “Now we’ve reached an agreement on a bipartisan national security deal that includes the toughest and fairest…

At least 99 people have been killed – and hundreds reported missing – in a series of huge wildfires in Chile.At least 1,600 people have also been left without homes as a result of the forest fires, which have raged in the country’s central region since they started several days ago. The fires are on the outskirts of the coastal city of Vina del Mar, located some 75 miles (122km) west of the capital Santiago and home to around 300,000 people, and nearby Valparaiso.Several neighbourhoods on the eastern edge of Vina del Mar have already been destroyed, while 200 people…

The death toll from intense wildfires raging in central Chile has climbed to 99, the national organization in charge of managing victims’ bodies said Sunday. The Legal Medical Service (SML) “has taken in a total of 99 people; 32 of them identified,” the organization said Sunday afternoon, updating an earlier death toll of 64. The AFP news agency reported that some of the dead were seen lying on the road, covered by sheets. “I’ve been talking to residents here over the last hour or so and everybody’s been saying that they keep finding bodies and these are bodies that have…

Parisians on Sunday voted  in favor of hiking parking fees for large SUVs, as the French capital presses on with long-term plans to become a fully bikeable city. The outcome means large SUVs would be subject to a threefold increase in parking fees — €18 ($19.50) per hour for parking in the city center, or €12 further out. Some 54.5% of those taking part in the referendum voted in favor of hiking parking fee, while 45.5% rejected the motion, according to official results.  But the turnout was low, with only 78,000 people of the 1.3 million eligible voters casting their ballots at the 39 voting stations…