World
- Worlddpa international
Scholz in the Baltics: Germany will defend 'every inch' of NATO
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz assured NATO partners in the Baltic Sea region of Germany's reliable military defence support during a visit to the region on Monday. In Riga, Scholz also responded to Russian plans to hold tactical nuclear exercises, which has been seen in the West as an attempt at intimidation by the Kremlin. "It is always important to say loudly that nuclear weapons must not be used in this war," Scholz said while in Riga on Monday, during his first visit to Latvia as German chan
4 min read - WorldAssociated Press
Call it Cognac diplomacy. France offered China’s Xi a special drink, in a wink at their trade spat
How do you smooth over trade tensions with the all-powerful leader of economic powerhouse China? Charm him with a bottle of Cognac, or two. China recently opened an anti-dumping investigation into European brandy — which mainly means French Cognac.
1 min read - Worlddpa international
UNICEF warns incursion into Rafah would threaten 600,000 children
The United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund (UNICEF) warned on Monday that a military besiegement and ground incursion in Rafah would pose "catastrophic risks" to the 600,000 children taking shelter there. "Rafah is now a city of children, who have nowhere safe to go in Gaza. If large scale military operations start, not only will children be at risk from the violence, but also from chaos and panic, and at a time where their physical and mental states are already weakened,” said U
2 min read - Lifestyledpa international
Can you plant seeds from shop-bought produce? Yes, but ...
Most fruits contain seeds, and some plants culinarily regarded as vegetables - including tomatoes, cucumbers and peppers - are botanically fruits because they contain seeds. When you buy them at a supermarket or greengrocer's, can you use their seeds to grow them in your garden? "Yes, but there's a high risk you won't get anything that tastes good," says Christine Scherer, horticultural technician at the Bavarian Garden Academy in Germany. The reason, she explains, is that F1 hybrid (first filia
2 min read - WorldSemafor
China's Xi tries to woo France's Macron during first stop of European tour
Chinese leader Xi Jinping wants to deepen ties with Europe even as many countries in the bloc cosy up to Washington.
3 min read - WorldAssociated Press
Powerful ethnic armed group in western Myanmar claims to capture base and hundreds of soldiers
A powerful ethnic minority armed group battling Myanmar's army in the country's west claimed Monday to have taken hundreds of government soldiers prisoner when it captured a major command post. The Arakan Army, the well-trained and well-armed military wing of the Rakhine ethnic minority movement, has been on the offensive against army outposts in the western state of Rakhine — its home ground — for about six months.
3 min read - WorldBBC
Russia to hold nuclear drills following 'threats' from West
Russia will hold tactical nuclear weapons drills in response to recent comments by France and the UK, the Kremlin said.
2 min read - WorldBBC
Chad presidential vote set to end military rule
The country is set to become the first of Africa's current junta-led states to move to democratic rule.
5 min read - WorldINSIDER
Watch an exploding Ukrainian drone boat dodge fire from the air to kill one of the small, high-speed Russian ships still fighting in the Black Sea
Ukraine's military intelligence agency said its forces used Magura V5 naval drones to destroy a Russian military speedboat in Crimea.
3 min read - WorldAssociated Press
Turkey says it has carried out new airstrikes against Kurdish militants in northern Iraq
Turkey has carried out a new round of airstrikes targeting Kurdish militants in neighboring Iraq, the Turkish defense ministry said Monday. Warplanes struck suspected positions of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party, or PKK, in the regions of Hakurk, Metina and Gara in Iraq’s semi-autonomous Kurdish region, according to the statement. The airstrikes reportedly killed 16 militants, including some commanders, the ministry said.
1 min read - Worlddpa international
France warns that forcing civilians from Rafah may be a war crime
The French Foreign Ministry has emphasized its "firm opposition" to Israeli plans to launch a military ground offensive against the city of Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip. "France also recalls that the forced displacement of a civilian population constitutes a war crime under international law," the ministry said in a statement on Monday. The French government demanded that the Palestinian militant group Hamas immediately release all hostages, and that parties to the conflict agree to a perman
1 min read - WorldAssociated Press
2 workers killed, more than 50 trapped when a building under construction collapses in South Africa
A multi-story apartment building under construction collapsed Monday in a coastal city in South Africa, killing two construction workers and leaving 53 trapped under the rubble, authorities said. An additional 20 workers were pulled from the mangled wreckage of the building and were being treated for injuries at various hospitals, city authorities said. The building collapse happened just after 2 p.m. in the city of George, about 400 kilometers (250 miles) east of Cape Town on South Africa’s s
3 min read - ScienceGizmodo
New Fusion Record Achieved in Tungsten-Encased Reactor
A tokamak in France set a new record in fusion plasma by encasing its reaction in tungsten, a heat-resistant metal that allows physicists to sustain hot plasmas for longer, and at higher energies and densities than carbon tokamaks.
3 min read - USWGN Chicago
University of Chicago faculty members speak out in support of student protestors
CHICAGO — Faculty members at the University of Chicago are coming out in support of student protestors Monday. About 120 faculty and staff stood in solidarity with student protestors during a press conference. Monday marks the eighth day of encampment on the Main Quad of the campus by pro-Palestine protesters. It’s one of several around the country […]
2 min read - Businessdpa international
Local tourism finds boost from Germany's cheap monthly rail pass
Germany's national railway company says it has recorded a 28% increase in regional rail travel since it introduced its so-called Deutschland Ticket 12 months ago. Describing the pass as "a rocket for regional transport," Deutsche Bahn board member Evelyn Palla said its introduction had seen domestic traveller numbers rise significantly. The €49-a-month pass allows the bearer unlimited travel on Deutsche Bahn’s domestic network and on most local public transport providers. "Overall, almost two th
1 min read - Worlddpa international
Maersk: Shipping capacity down as much as 20% due to Red Sea attacks
Due to the difficult security situation in the Red Sea, Danish shipping giant Maersk is expecting an industry-wide loss in freight capacity on routes from eastern Asia to Europe of 15% to 20% in the second quarter. Maersk released the estimates on Monday, citing attacks by Iranian-backed Houthi militants on merchant shipping in the Red Sea. The Houthi militants have said the attacks are intended to support the Palestinian militant group Hamas by making it more difficult for cargo ships to reach
1 min read - WorldAssociated Press
New Liberia forest boss plans to increase exports, denies working with war criminal Charles Taylor
Liberia, West Africa’s most forested country, has a long history of illegal logging, which the country's regulator, the Forestry Development Authority, has repeatedly struggled to confront. One of Merab's companies was also mentioned in the trial of Charles Taylor, a former Liberia president who was convicted of war crimes during the civil war in neighboring country Sierra Leone.
5 min read - Worlddpa international
Jordan warns of 'massacre' in Rafah if Israeli attack not halted
Jordan has warned of a looming "massacre" of Palestinians by Israeli troops if the international community fails to prevent the expected Israeli military offensive against the city of Rafah in the Gaza Strip. "Another massacre of the Palestinians is in the making. Israel is warning Palestinians to leave Rafah as it threatens an attack," Jordanian Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi announced on Monday on X, formerly Twitter. "All must act now to prevent it." Failure to halt the planned offensive would
1 min read - WorldAssociated Press
Italy's RAI journalists strike over budget streamlining, complain of censorship and media repression
Some journalists at Italy’s state-run RAI went on strike Monday to protest budget streamlining and what they said was an increasingly repressive atmosphere in Italy for media under the government of Premier Giorgia Meloni. The 24-hour RAI strike is the latest protest by Italian journalists against what they say are threats to freedom of the press and expression in Italy, including criminal investigations of journalists and suspected episodes of censorship.
3 min read - Worlddpa international
Hamas warns of 'catastrophic' consequences of Rafah evacuation
The Islamist Palestinian organization Hamas has sharply criticized the start of Israel's evacuation of the city of Rafah, in the southern Gaza Strip, ahead of a military operation. Israel is damaging all efforts to achieve a ceasefire in the Gaza war, Mahmoud Mardawi, a senior Hamas official, told dpa on Monday. The move would have a negative impact on the indirect negotiations and have a "catastrophic effect" on the local population, he said. Mardawi emphasized that an Israeli military operatio
1 min read - Worlddpa international
Von der Leyen and Macron stress need for cooperation with Xi's China
France and the European Union are focusing on joint efforts with China to solve key global problems at the start of Chinese President Xi Jinping's trip to Europe. "China is important for the EU to tackle major global challenges," said European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on Monday in a three-way meeting with Xi and his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron at the Élysée Palace in Paris. She cited the fight against the climate crisis as one such challenge. "In addition, both China and
1 min read - ScienceYale Environment 360
Sound of Whale Song Signals Antarctic Blue Whales May Be Making a Comeback
A nearly two-decade study of whale songs recorded in the Southern Ocean suggests that blue whales, the largest creatures ever to have roamed the Earth, may be recovering in Antarctica after being hunted to the edge of extinction.
1 min read - WorldAssociated Press
An inquiry into a building fire in South Africa that killed 76 finds city authorities responsible
A report into a building fire that killed 76 people in South Africa last year has concluded that city authorities should be held responsible because they were aware of serious safety issues at the rundown apartment block at least four years before the blaze. The nighttime fire at the five-story building in downtown Johannesburg on Aug. 31 was one of South Africa's worst disasters. Retired Judge Sisi Khampepe was put in charge of the inquiry, which began in October.
2 min read - Worlddpa international
Scholz assures NATO partners in Baltics of German military support
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz assured NATO partners in the Baltic Sea region of Germany's reliable military defence support during a visit to the region on Monday. "Germany stands firmly at the side of the Baltic states," Scholz said in Pabradė, Lithuania, where he visited Bundeswehr soldiers. Germany's commitment with the Bundeswehr is serious, he added, referring to the country's obligation to stand by NATO. "And that means that we provide each other with protection and that all states can rel
3 min read - Worlddpa international
EU commission to give clean bill of health for Polish rule of law
The European Commission said on Monday that it wants the European Union to end its long-standing legal action against Poland for rule of law violations. The draft decision holds that Poland is addressing concerns about judicial independence, that it has "recognized the primacy of EU law" and is committed to implementing European court judgements concerning the rule of law. The legal proceedings Poland has been facing could, in principle, lead to the suspension of its EU membership rights, though
1 min read - WorldMining Technology
Brazil rejects $25bn Mariana disaster settlement offer from Vale, BHP
The $25.03bn offer was deemed insufficient and laden with "inadmissible conditions" by the office of Brazil's solicitor general.
2 min read - WorldAssociated Press
The EU's executive decides to end legal standoff with Poland over democracy concerns
The European Union's executive decided on Monday to end its 6-year dispute with member state Poland, saying Prime Minister Donald Tusk has initiated the necessary changes to reverse what the bloc called the previous government’s backsliding on democratic principles. The EU's decision to withdraw its case over rule of law complaints follows one in February to start releasing billions of euros that it had frozen in the dispute. “Today, marks a new chapter for Poland," said EU Commission Presiden
1 min read - BusinessReuters
Exclusive-Colombia's Ecopetrol exploring participation in offshore wind auction
Colombia's majority state-owned energy company Ecopetrol is analyzing its potential direct participation in the Andean country's first-ever offshore wind auction, the company said in a statement to Reuters. The government of President Gustavo Petro, Colombia's first leftist leader, has said it wants to wean the Andean country from its dependence on fossil fuels while ensuring energy self-sufficiency. Bidders in the auction for concessions off the country's Caribbean coast are required to demon
2 min read - Worlddpa international
Von der Leyen warns China's Xi on 'market distorting practices'
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has warned Chinese President Xi Jinping that the European Union will not tolerate Beijing's "market distorting practices" ahead of a three-way meeting in Paris on Monday. Xi was scheduled to meet von der Leyen and French President Emmanuel Macron at the Élysée Palace on Monday morning. He arrived in the French capital on Sunday on a six-day European trip which will also include stops in Serbia and Hungary. Chinese state subsidies for its electri
2 min read - Worlddpa international
German e-car exports exceeded imports in 2023
Germany exported more electric cars than it imported in 2023, the Federal Statistical Office reported on Monday. Last year, 786,000 vehicles were exported compared to 446,000 imported from other countries, the office said. At €36 billion ($39 billion), exports were also well ahead of imports, which totalled €14.1 billion. The most important importer was China with a share of 29%, ahead of Korea with just under 10%. Exports of purely electrically powered cars grew by 58% over the course of the ye
1 min read - Worlddpa international
Egypt says Rafah border crossing remains open for aid, passengers
The Rafah border crossing remains open for aid and passenger movement, an Egyptian source and the border authority in Gaza said on Monday. The information came after Israel began to evacuate Rafah city in southern Gaza, which borders Egypt, ahead of its expected military operation there. An Egyptian security source denied reports that Egypt closed the border crossing, adding that humanitarian aid trucks have crossed to get into Gaza. "Work continues at the Rafah crossing, as the Egyptian gate ha
1 min read - WorldAssociated Press
Australia accuses China of unsafe behavior when fighter jet released flares in a helicopter's path
Australia has protested to Beijing that a Chinese fighter jet endangered an Australian navy helicopter with flares in international waters, officials said Monday. The incident occurred on Saturday as the Australian air warfare destroyer HMAS Hobart was enforcing United Nations Security Council sanctions against North Korea in international waters in the Yellow Sea, the Defense Department said in a statement.
1 min read - Worlddpa international
In the shadow of Gaza war, Israelis observe Holocaust Remembrance Day
Israel is on Monday commemorating the six million Jews who were murdered by the Nazis and their accomplices during the Holocaust, as the Palestinian Islamist Hamas group holds more than 100 hostages from Israel. On Monday morning, sirens blared for two minutes across the country to commemorate the catastrophe. Cars stopped on the streets and passers-by stood in silent remembrance of the victims. The central commemoration ceremony then began at the Yad Vashem Holocaust memorial in Jerusalem. This
2 min read - BusinessCNN Business
Tourism in China surges during May Day holiday but travelers turn frugal
China has reported a surge in tourism during the just concluded Labor Day holiday, but travelers cut back on their spending, in a sign that consumption in world’s second largest economy remains sluggish.
2 min read - Worlddpa international
Israel begins Rafah evacuation ahead of planned military operation
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) on Monday started to evacuate the city of Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip ahead of its expected military operation there. "We begin a limited scope operation to temporarily evacuate inhabitants of eastern Rafah," an IDF spokesman said. The IDF called on the inhabitants of the eastern part of the city on the border with Egypt to move to the al-Mawasi camp on the Mediterranean a few kilometres to the north. An estimated 100,000 people are affected, according to an
4 min read - BusinessT3
Chinese motor show reveals the next-gen EVs – with a few surprises
From EVs to MPVs, China Auto 2024 showed off the latest models from local and international brands
7 min read - BusinessAFP
Europe's auto suppliers reach the end of the road
Emrullah Karaca has made brakes for the past 20 years, but he is now learning to assemble heat pumps instead, as the Continental factory where he works in northern Germany is slated to close."Brakes or heat pumps, it's all the same to me," said Karaca, whose two parents both worked for Continental at the factory.
3 min read - Worlddpa international
Israel calls for Rafah evacuation ahead of possible offensive
The Israeli military has asked residents of eastern Rafah, in the southern Gaza Strip, to evacuate to an "expanded humanitarian area," ahead of a possible offensive. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said that it "encourages" the residents of Eastern Rafah to move to an expanded humanitarian area in the al-Mawasi refugee camp, on the Mediterranean not far from the border with Egypt. "In accordance with the approval of the government, an ongoing situation assessment will guide the gradual movement
1 min read - BusinessAFP
Indonesia first-quarter growth boosted by election, holiday spending
Indonesia's economic growth accelerated in the first quarter of 2024 on the back of election and religious holiday spending, official data showed Monday.Government estimates had projected growth of 5.17 percent but experts warned Jakarta's official data might not be reliable to judge economic performance.
1 min read - WorldBBC
Israel-Gaza war: Three soldiers killed in Kerem Shalom rocket attack
Israel has closed the Kerem Shalom crossing - one of few Gaza aid routes - after the rocket attack.
4 min read - BusinessAssociated Press
Qantas agrees to pay $79 million in compensation and a fine for selling seats on canceled flights
Qantas Airways agreed to pay 120 million Australian dollars ($79 million) in compensation and a fine for selling tickets on thousands of cancelled flights, the airline and Australia’s consumer watchdog said on Monday. The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission sued the Sydney-based airline in the Federal Court last year. The commission alleged that Qantas engaged in false, misleading or deceptive conduct by advertising tickets for more than 8,000 flights from May 2021 through to July 2
2 min read - BusinessReuters
China's services activity eases in April but still solid, Caixin PMI shows
China's services activity expansion slowed a touch amid rising costs, but growth in new orders accelerated and business sentiment rose solidly in a boost to hopes of a sustained economic recovery, a private sector survey showed on Monday. The Caixin/S&P Global services purchasing managers' index (PMI) eased to 52.5 from a 52.7 in March, remaining in expansionary territory for the 16th straight month. "The strong start to the year is consistent with the Caixin manufacturing and services PMIs, w
2 min read - WorldBBC
Labour must rebuild trust with Muslim voters, says senior MP
The party's Gaza stance appears to have dented its support in Muslim areas at the local elections.
4 min read - LifestyleNY Post
Nomadic teen pays $10K annually to live as a 24/7 train passenger: ‘The possibilities are endless’
The homeless teen rides first class while traveling an estimated 600 miles of Germany and Europe daily.
2 min read - Worlddpa international
German party warns against treating attack on MP as isolated case
Following an attack on a German member of the European Parliament in Dresden, his party has warned not to treat the incident as an isolated case, as hundreds took to the streets in the eastern German city in solidarity with the severely injured lawmaker. "It is very clear that this willingness to use violence did not occur in a vacuum," Saskia Esken, leader of Germany's ruling Social Democratic Party (SPD), said ahead of a rally in Dresden on Sunday afternoon. A 17-year-old turned himself in to
5 min read - Worlddpa international
Macron appeals to Netanyahu to continue Gaza ceasefire negotiations
French President Emmanuel Macron has called on Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to continue negotiations with Palestinian extremist organization Hamas over a release of remaining hostages and a ceasefire agreement in the Gaza war. In a phone call on Sunday, Macron encouraged the Israeli premier to bring the negotiations, which could lead to de-escalation in the region, to a good end, according to reports from the Élysée Palace in Paris following a telephone conversation between the two
1 min read - WorldBBC
Al Jazeera office raided as Israel takes channel off air
The network denies being a threat to security, and says Israel wants "to cover up its crimes".
4 min read - WorldSemafor
Israel bans, raids Al Jazeera as Hamas returns to Doha following ceasefire talks
Al Jazeera described the ban as a “criminal act,” after Israel accused it of “incitement.”
3 min read - WorldAssociated Press
Floods in southern Brazil kill at least 75 people over 7 days, with 103 people missing
Massive floods in Brazil’s southern Rio Grande do Sul state have killed at least 75 people over the last seven days, and another 103 were reported missing, local authorities said Sunday. More than 800,000 people are without a water supply, according to the civil defense agency, which cited figures from water company Corsan. On Saturday evening, residents in the town of Canoas stood up to their shoulders in muddy water and formed a human chain to pull boats carrying people to safety, according
3 min read - Worlddpa international
Al Jazeera outraged after Israel moves to shut channel's offices
Qatar-based broadcaster Al Jazeera on Sunday decried a decision by the Israeli government to close its offices in the country, saying it would pursue "all avenues" available to protect its rights and employees. It comes after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Sunday his Cabinet had unanimously decided to close Al Jazeera's operations in Israel. Israel accuses the Doha-based broadcaster of biased reporting on the ongoing war against Hamas militants in the Gaza Strip. On Sunday, Al
1 min read
