Author: DW

The Supreme Court of Pakistan on Saturday upheld a ruling stripping former Prime Minister Imran Khan’s Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party of its cricket bat symbol.  Pakistan’s Chief Justice Qazi Faez Isa announced the ruling on live television, saying the PTI had not held intraparty elections. Political parties in Pakistan must hold these elections in order to take part in the national election. In December, the Election Commission of Pakistan first announced the ban on PTI for using the symbol for the same reason. The PTI then challenged that decision in the nation’s top court.  PTI on ruling: A ‘sad day for democracy’ “This,…

Despite an international coalition providing a protective umbrella over the Red Sea – Op Prosperity Guardian – the Houthi attacks against merchant shipping continued.Shortly before midnight on Thursday, the US and UK launched a wave of attacks on 60 Houthi military targets using over 100 guided munitions, predominantly Tomahawk cruise missiles. The UK contribution to the strike package was four Typhoon fighter jets.Although cruise missiles can be launched from hundreds of miles away from their targets, once launched they can take some time to reach them and, while en route, the ground situation can change.Fighter missions place the pilots in…

With 24 Bundesliga players included in their respective countries’ provisional squads for the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in Ivory Coast from January 13 until February 11, 2024, several of Germany’s top sides are facing a month without some top performers. Final AFCON squads of between 24-27 players are not due to be confirmed until January 3, so there’s no guarantee that all 24 players will make the cut – but the final number is still likely to be higher than the 11 Bundesliga players who featured at AFCON 2022 in Cameroon. Simultaneously, a further eight Japanese and South…

Sunak arrived in Kyiv on Friday where he is set to meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr ZelenskyyImage: Stefan Rousseau/AP Photo/picture alliance The United Kingdom is set to increase its military support for Ukraine by an additional 200 million British pounds (€233 million/$255 million) for the next financial year. London announced the “major new package of support” to coincide with Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s trip to Kyiv on Friday. The extra funds would bring the UK’s total support for Ukraine to 2.5 billion British pounds. “The Ministry of Defence will work with international partners to significantly scale up the number of…

The next generational change in one of Europe’s seven reigning royal houses is underway. After the Netherlands (2013), Belgium (2013), Spain (2014) and Britain (2022), it is Denmark’s turn: 83-year-old Queen Margarethe II is handing over the scepter to her son Frederik on Sunday after exactly 52 years on the throne. The surprise announcement from the Danish royal family follows a trend. With the exception of Britain’s royal family, many monarchs no longer die on the throne. Instead, they retire and make way for their children. At 55, Frederik of Denmark has already spent a lifetime preparing for the job. But it…

The language being used by Biden administration is interesting.”Iran is a primary – if not the primary – enabler or supporter, sponsor of the Houthis and Iran has been involved operationally in the conduct of these attacks,” a Biden administration official said. They don’t talk about Iran directing the attacks against shipping or US military in the region in the way that they might have done not long ago.They talk about Iran being the “enabler” rather than the puppet master. And that’s because they know that the “Iranian proxies” in the Middle East are no longer puppets.Hezbollah in Lebanon, the…

Should Nigeria start Francis Uzoho in goal when the Africa Cup of Nations starts in the Ivory Coast? This is a question that has polarized fans of the Super Eagles, yet there is no disputing his experience at major international tournaments. “When our mistakes occur, it’s loud,” Uzoho told DW about the pressure of being the man in goal. “Everybody knows about it, so everybody keeps throwing shade and sticks at me. But you have to embrace it. It is part of the weight that comes with the position.” Decisive miscue Goalkeepers have always been open for criticism, but there is…

Amy Zoyomi is a 29-year-old transgender woman from Lucenec, a town of 30,000 inhabitants in southern Slovakia. As an adult, Amy decided to move to the capital, Bratislava. Her gender identity was one of the main reasons for leaving her hometown. For Amy, life in Lucenec and life in Bratislava are poles apart. “When I walk down the street in my home town, people often stare at me,” she told DW. “Sometimes they stop, and the stares change to verbal abuse. That doesn’t happen in the capital. I feel safe here, people are much more relaxed and don’t pay so much attention…

Last week, India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi posted several photos on his social media accounts showing him enjoying the white sands of Lakshadweep, an Indian archipelago of 36 islands off the coast of Kerala state. The prime minister was shown meeting with locals, enjoying the pristine coastline, and going snorkeling. “I am still in awe of the stunning beauty of its [Lakshadweep] islands and the incredible warmth of its people,” he tweeted, sharing several pictures that went viral among Modi’s supporters. However, Modi’s visit conveyed the impression to Maldivian lawmakers that Lakshadweep is being pitched to Indian tourists as an…

At least 17 people have been killed and dozens of others were injured after a mudslide in western Colombia, officials said.A search operation will get under way for people who may be buried under the debris after the landslide covered a highway connecting the cities of Quibdo and Medellin in Choco province on Friday. Footage showed the moment the side of a mountain slid over the main road, covering some cars.An unknown number of people are still missing.”So far 17 bodies have been recovered from the area of the tragedy,” the government of Choco said on its X account. At…