EU-US TRADE DEAL Though the details and effects of the trade deal between the European Union and the United States are just starting to take shape, many European business associations and politicians are already criticizing the agreement as unfair and expressing concerns over the economic consequences. Meanwhile, Brussels emphasizes that the deal goes beyond the economy. "It's not just about trade. It's about security. It's about Ukraine. It's about current geopolitical volatility," EU Trade Commissioner Maros Sefcovic in Brussels said on Monday. He told reporters that while he couldn't go into all the details of the talks between European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and US President Donald Trump, he could say for sure that they were about more than just trade. For him, it is a big plus that the two biggest economies and closest allies are on the same page when it comes to the geopolitical issues of today. On Sunday, von der Leyen and Trump agreed on the terms of a deal on future tariffs. The agreement provides for a basic tariff rate of 15% on most EU imports and exemptions for certain strategically essential products, among other measures. The agreement also contains provisions of geostrategic consequence. The EU is said to have promised the US that it will purchase strategic commodities such as gas, oil, nuclear fuel and AI chips worth $750 billion (€649 billion). The EU also plans to invest a further $600 billion in the US. EU countries are also expected to purchase military equipment from the US, though whether EU members need to guarantee these purchases remains unclear. The deal has received rather muted praise from EU member states, while France and Hungary have been very critical of the European Commission. US President Donald Trump (R) shakes hands with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen (L) US President Donald Trump (R) shakes hands with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen (L) According to the EU, the deal reaches far beyond business. Observers say that the EU has not consistently leveraged its position as the world's largest single marketImage: Brendan Smialowski/AFP/Getty Images Was the EU's position strong enough? Penny Naas, a policy analyst at the US-based think tank German Marshall Fund, said that the EU has not consistently leveraged its position as the world's largest single market. "They didn't always exert their strength," she told DW. "Geopolitically, Europe looked quite weak in how it conducted the negotiations and how it ultimately was given the rate coming out of this." Elvire Fabry, Senior Research Fellow at the Jacques Delors Institute, finds it difficult to even describe the recent talks as negotiations. She argues that the EU's hands were tied due to its dependence on security guarantees from the US. According to Fabry, the framework conditions would have been entirely different if the EU had not needed US support to help defend Ukraine in its war with Russia. Trump's previous statements threatening to withdraw support from Ukraine have sent shockwaves in the EU. The bloc would unlikely be able to replace US aid financially or militarily. Both experts agree that the different interests of the member states and their lack of unity were problems during the negotiations. Fabry sees the so-called anti-coercion instrument as the only way for Europeans to apply pressure on and build credibility with the US. However, there was no agreement among the member states on its possible application. The anti-coercion instrument is designed to deter countries from exerting economic pressure on the EU. As a last resort, the EU can impose far-reaching countermeasures. Insufficient 'strategic autonomy' The agreement also has geopolitical implications for the EU. Naas observes that the commitment to buy energy, AI chips and weapons "shows Europe's continued reliance on the US in other ways." Buying from the US is the "best of bad options" for the EU, she says, and makes it clear that Europe has not achieved strategic autonomy. French President Emmanuel Macron has coined the term "strategic autonomy" as a buzzword during the US-EU trade deal negotiations. This term essentially means that Europe should be as independent as possible from other powers. This independence should comprise the arms industry, energy and procuring critical raw materials. Pump jacks in the oil fields east of Artesia, New Mexico, during sunrise 30th July,2025

QUAKE STRIKES OFF RUSSIA A powerful earthquake struck off the coast of the Kamchatka peninsula in Russia's far east on Wednesday morning, triggering tsunami warnings in Japan and the US island of Hawaii. The United States Geological Survey (USGS) said the magnitude-8.8 tremor struck at a shallow depth of 19.3 km (12 miles). For the latest developments on the Kamchatka earthquake and the tsunami warnings, follow our live coverage. Tsunami warnings issued Japan's Meteorological Agency (JMA) issued a tsunami warning, with waves of up to 3 meters (nearly 10 feet) possible in areas along Japan's east and northeast coast. "A tsunami advisory has been issued as of 08:37 (2337 GMT) on July 30," the JMA said on X, adding that "tsunamis will strike repeatedly. Do not enter the sea or approach the coast until the warning is lifted." "Tsunami waves are approaching the coasts. Evacuate as quickly as possible," the JMA said in a separate update. Kamchatka's regional minister for emergency situations, Sergei Lebedev, warned that a tsunami of between 3-4 meters was recorded in parts of Kamchatka, as he urged residents to move away from the peninsula's shoreline. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's (NOAA) tsunami alert map of the Pacific basin on July 30National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's (NOAA) tsunami alert map of the Pacific basin on July 30 This US map shows tsunami warnings in red, advisories in orange, and watches in yellowImage: NOAA/AFP First tsunami waves reach Russian, Japanese shores Tsunami waves have reached coastal areas in Russia's Kuril Islands as well as Japan's northernmost large island of Hokkaido, authorities said. Local governor Valery Limarenko said the first tsunami wave had struck the coast of Severo-Kurilsk, the main settlement on the Pacific archipelago. Russian authorities said the town's population of around 2,000 people was evacuated and residents have been urged to remain on high ground until the threat of repeat waves has passed. The JMA, meanwhile, said a tsunami as high as 40 centimeters (1.3 feet) had been detected in 16 locations as the waves moved south along the Pacific coast from Hokkaido to just northeast of Tokyo. Authorities have cautioned that bigger waves could come later, with the JMA saying that a major Tsunami could be expected for more than a day after Wednesday's earthquake. A grainy video still of a grey beach and tsunami damage A grainy video still of a grey beach and tsunami damage A video still shows tsunami damage to a low-lying coastal area on Russia's Kuril IslandsImage: Geophysical Service of the Russian Academy of Sciences/AP Photo/picture alliance Warnings issued across the Pacific A tsunami warning has also been issued for the US state of Hawaii. Authorities in Honolulu have called for people to evacuate from coastal areas as it said "destructive" waves were expected. Authorities in California issued a tsunami watch for sections of the central coastline, including San Francisco. A lower-level tsunami advisory is in effect for the entire US Pacific coast. Peru also issued a tsunami warning following the massive quake off Russia's eastern coast. The country's navy said that the National Tsunami Warning Center "triggers a tsunami alert along the Peruvian coast". "The event will be continuously monitored," the navy's Directorate of Hydrography and Navigation said in a post on X. The massive quake triggered warnings of waves possibly hitting the coast of Ecuador and Chile along South America's west coast, according to the US Pacific Tsunami Warning Center. 30th July,2025

TRUMP'S TRIP SPLIT SCOTLAND Donald Trump may be the most powerful member of Scotland's diaspora, but most people in his mother's country of birth did not view the US president's recent trip as the return of a prodigal son. As Trump touched down in Ayrshire late last week to begin a golfing holiday heavy on global geopolitics, Scotland's nationalist-leaning newspaper printed a front page that summed up how many here see him: "Convicted US felon to arrive in Scotland," it read. Show additional content? This content is part of the text you are currently reading. The provider X / Twitter provides this content and may collect your usage data directly when you click “Show content”. Always show content from X / Twitter. Anti-Trump protesters gathered under grey summer skies in Aberdeen on Saturday vented about the visit. "Deport Donald!" was scrawled on one cardboard placard. "Yer maw was an immigrant!" another sign read, adding some Scottish slang into the proverbial mudslinging. "Donald Trump does not represent the politics of the people of Scotland," demonstrator Alena Ivanova told DW. "He's not welcome here because he represents hate, and we support community and working together." Two police officers stand on a sandy road and talk to another officer on a quad bike. In front of them is a sign reading "Police. Restricted access beyond this point." Two police officers stand on a sandy road and talk to another officer on a quad bike. In front of them is a sign reading "Police. Restricted access beyond this point." A heavy police presence kept protesters far from Trump's golf coursesImage: Andrew Milligan/PA Wire/dpa/picture alliance Did Trump get a chilly reception from most Scots? This outright outrage at Trump's visit may be confined to opposition and activist circles, but Ivanona does have a broader point: Evidence shows the US president's politics don't chime with the majority of Scots. When asked how much they like him, Scots scored Trump an average of 1.76 out of 10. "Even those people who are more positive about him aren't going to be love-bombing him — and aren't expressing great affection for him," political scientist Chris Carman told DW. "Scots tend to see themselves as being more communitarian and somewhat more progressive," Carman, a professor at the University of Glasgow who crunched the polling numbers, explained. For now, the biggest political battle lines in Scotland — a nation of 5.5 million — are not between left and right. In fact, the most popular parties are both center-left, and instead public opinion is split on whether Scotland should divorce itself from the rest of the United Kingdom. The anti-Trump mood goes right to the top here. First Minister John Swinney, who heads up the devolved Scottish government in Edinburgh, publicly backed Trump rival Kamala Harris in last year's US elections. In February, Swinney accused Trump of promoting "ethnic cleansing" over his comments about Gaza. Trump gestrues as he sits in a high-backed green leateher chair with the US flag behind him on July 28, 2025 in Turnberry, Scotland.Trump gestrues as he sits in a high-backed green leateher chair with the US flag behind him on July 28, 2025 in Turnberry, Scotland. Trump played host to his UK and Scottish counterparts as guests in their own countryImage: Andrew Harnik/Getty Images Holding court and ribbon-cutting But a lack of enthusiasm from the public did little to dampen Trump's mood this week. He seemed right at home as he cut the ribbon on his third Scottish golf resort, which includes a course named after his mother Mary Anne McLeod, who left Scotland for New York aged 18. To this day, Trump has first cousins living in the country. "We love Scotland," a visibly upbeat US president said on Tuesday. He even extended a rare compliment to journalists here. "They're not fake news — today they're wonderful news," he said. This kind of trip, mixing the private with the political — and business with pleasure — is unusual for a sitting US president. By now, America's allies are accustomed to Trump's tendency to upend diplomatic norms, but the sight of a US leader playing host to UK and Scottish counterparts as guests on their own soil was still striking. Trump was in control, but they seemed happy to play along — and all three will go back to their capitals claiming diplomatic or economic wins. US President Donald Trump, wearing a white cap wiht USA on it in gold, holds a pair of scissors in his had as he opens his new golf course at his Trump International Golf links resort on July 29, 2025 in Balmedie, Scotland.US President Donald Trump, wearing a white cap wiht USA on it in gold, holds a pair of scissors in his had as he opens his new golf course at his Trump International Golf links resort on July 29, 2025 in Balmedie, Scotland. US President Donald Trump has his scissors at the ready to open his new golf course in Balmedie, ScotlandImage: Jeff J Mitchell/Getty Images Trump pressed on Gaza UK prime minister Keir Starmer and Scotland's John Swinney both pressed Trump to use his influence to end the humanitarian catastrophe unfolding in Gaza, and Trump appeared to toughen his position on Russia — music to the ears of European allies. On a more personal level, Trump seemed sold on Scotland's Swinney, calling him a "terrific guy" before leaving on Tuesday. But Swinney was more cautious in his assessment, reflecting the political tightrope he is walking. Swinney steered clear of his past Trump-bashing, but also dodged repeated questions on whether he "liked" the US president. "He was pleasant company," Swinney told Scottish broadcaster STV on Tuesday. "I think my personal feelings about people are irrelevant. I've got a job to do," he added. 30th July,2025

AIRLIFT AID TO GAZA Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said that Spain will airdrop 12 tons of food aid into Gaza from Jordan later this week, via Spanish air force planes. Sánchez acknowledged this isn’t a solution to hunger, but hopes it offers “minimal relief” alongside aid from other nations. Spain’s government has been a vocal critic of Israel's actions in Gaza and has repeatedly called for a ceasefire. Airdrops have been widely criticized by international organizations including the UN for failing to meet needs. The average truck that enters Gaza with humanitarian aid carries around 19 tons of aid, according to COGAT, the Israeli military body in charge of coordinating humanitarian aid in Gaza. 30th July,2025

PALESTINIAN STATEHOOD Israeli soldiers ejected mourners and journalists, including from DW, from the funeral of Awdah Hadaleen, a prominent Palestinian activist. Hadaleen, who featured in the Oscar-winning documentary "No Other Land", was killed by an Israeli settler in the West Bank. Graphic content. Israeli forces break up funeral of Palestinian activist 02:54 https://p.dw.com/p/4yG0F Copy link Skip next section UK defends its position on Palestinian statehood 07/30/2025July 30, 2025 UK defends its position on Palestinian statehood Chi-Hui Lin with BBC The United Kingdom will recognize Palestinian statehood in September unless the Israeli government takes significant steps to end the "appalling situation" in Gaza and meets other conditions, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said Tuesday. Israel rejected Starmer's ultimatum, calling it a "reward for Hamas," comments that were repeated by US President Donald Trump. UK Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander responded to the Israeli claim, saying: "This is not a reward for Hamas. Hamas is a vile terrorist organisation that has committed appalling atrocities." "This is about the Palestinian people," she told LBC radio. "It's about those children that we see in Gaza who are starving to death." "We've got to ratchet up pressure on the Israeli government to lift the restrictions to get aid back into Gaza," she added. Alexander also spoke on the BBC's Today Program, rejecting accusations that the government had changed its position for political reasons. She stated that the Labor Party has a "longstanding commitment" to recognizing the State of Palestine as part of achieving a two-state solution, adding that support for Palestinian statehood had been part of the party's 2024 manifesto. The UK, along with the United States, the EU and others, designates Hamas as a terrorist organization. UK plans to recognize Palestine if Israel doesn't stop war 02:22 https://p.dw.com/p/4yEvL Copy link Skip next section Countries commit to 2-state solution at UN conference 07/30/2025July 30, 2025 Countries commit to 2-state solution at UN conference The foreign ministers of 15 countries issued a joint statement following a UN conference in New York on Tuesday aimed at reviving a two-state solution between Israelis and the Palestinians. The conference was hosted by France and Saudi Arabia. It had been planned to take place earlier in the year but was postponed following Israel's strikes on Iran. "In New York, together with 14 other countries, France is issuing a collective appeal: we express our desire to recognize the State of Palestine and invite those who have not yet done so to join us," French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot wrote on X. 30th July,2025

GERMANY'S RAILWAYS Emergency services were met with a scene of destruction. On Sunday evening, the grey-yellow cars of a regional train had derailed and crashed into each other near Riedlingen in southwestern Germany. It soon became clear that the train driver, a trainee, and one passenger were killed in the accident. More than 40 out of around 100 passengers were injured, some of them seriously. Heavy rain in the area had apparently caused a sewer shaft to overflow, triggering a landslide directly onto the railway line and derailing the train. As man-made climate change increases the frequency of heavy rain, storms and other extreme weather events, railways are increasingly affected. First responders enter the train compartments in search of missing peopleFirst responders enter the train compartments in search of missing people Heavy rain has caused the train to derail on Sunday, July 27Image: Thomas Warnack/dpa/picture alliance Trains still cleaner and safer than cars Overall, however, traveling by train is not only more sustainable than flying, it is also far safer than driving cars. Moreover, in recent years, the EU region has seen a decline in fatalities from train accidents. To prevent landslides and flooding of road underpasses during heavy rainfall, the German railway company Deutsche Bahn has been working on a heavy rainfall plan: When water damages a section of railway, it is usually detected before the next train approaches. Flooding has been a serious problem in the past, for example, with the 2021 flood disaster in the Ahr Valley in western Germany and neighboring regions, which killed 185 people. The railway lines through the Ahr Valley and the neighboring Eifel mountain range still remain partially closed to traffic. On the Ahr river, the floods destroyed a total of 15 railway bridges. Several bridges in the Eifel region need to be rebuilt. New bridges are being designed to better withstand extreme weather. The new structures will largely do without central pillars, to reduce exposure to water pressure and debris during floods. A large part of the investment of around €500 million ($578m) is being spent on the electrification of two lines, which were previously served by diesel engines. Once the electricity for the electric trains comes from renewable energy sources, they will emit significantly less greenhouse gases than diesel locomotives. 30th July,2025

BUMPER HARVEST With a deep rumble, the massive threshing wheel of the rice harvester pushes through the tightly packed green stalks. The plants vanish into the belly of the machine, where rice grains are separated from their husks and the straw is tossed back onto the field. A few workers watch the process from the field's edge. After a few rounds, the combine harvester moves to the side and transfers the harvested rice through a long pipe into the bed of a waiting truck — then it heads back out again. It's harvest time on the fields of Los Palacios, a sleepy small town in the southeastern part of Cuba's Pinar del Rio province. A harvester unloading rice onto a truck in a field.A harvester unloading rice onto a truck in a field. This summer, Cuban farmers harvested the first Vietnamese rice grown on their islandImage: Andreas Knobloch The silos and an aging rice mill shimmer in the glaring sun on the horizon, and what looks like a picturesque postcard scene could prove crucial for Cuba's food security. The fields near Los Palacios belong to the Cubanacan farm, run by the state-owned enterprise Empresa Agroindustrial de Granos Los Palacios. In the wake of Fidel Castro's successful Communist revolution in 1959, all foreign landowners were expropriated. But last year, the Cuban government took an unprecedented step by granting a foreign company the right to cultivate farmland on the Communist islands. The first foreign company to be granted a lease on a stretch of farmland was Vietnamese Agri VMA, a privately held agriculture company that is growing rice near Los Palacios. Cuban rice output declines amid deeper crisis Still owned by the Cuban state, the farmland lease to the Vietnamese investor is tied to a prolonged crisis in the Cuban agricultural sector caused by an overall decline in the country's economy. Fertilizers, pesticides, fuel, and spare parts are in short supply and much of the equipment is outdated or broken. In addition, a rigid system of mandatory state quotas offers little incentive for enhancing production. What's also come into play recently are environmental factors, such as soil salinization, drought, and hurricanes, which have reduced crops driving Cuban agriculture even closer to the brink of collapse. A closeup picture of Ariel Garcia Perez standinmg in a green rice field.A closeup picture of Ariel Garcia Perez standinmg in a green rice field. Ariel Garcia Perez oversees the pilot project for the Cuban sideImage: Andreas Knobloch Ariel Garcia Perez, general director of Empresa Agroindustrial de Granos, concedes that his company is currently lacking the kind of resources needed for cultivating rice. "I mean fertilizers, herbicides, fungicides, insecticides, and also seeds — all essential for rice production," he told the DW reporter out on one of the company's rice fields that were being harvested. Perez said that due to the shortages only about 6,000 hectares (14,826 acres) of rice fields are currently being cultivated, out of about 23,000 hectares that the company could cultivate in total. Rice is one of Cuba's staple foods. Last year, the country produced about 80,000 tons of rice — just over 11% of its domestic demand. Six years ago, production was more than three times higher, according to official data published by the Cuban state newspaper Granma recently. To meet domestic consumption, Cuba has had to increase imports. Optimizeed seeds and better know how Under efforts to spur the domestic rice output, the Cuban government has asked Vietnam for help because the two countries have maintained friendly relations for decades, intensifying especially agricultuiral cooperation in recent years. For Perez, the Los Palacios project marks a entirely new level of partnership though. Privetely owned Agri VMA is managing the lease largely independent from state interference, with operations being based on a business contract. The company has brought to Cuba its own resources, technical experts, and seeds from hybrid rice varieties developed in Vietnam. Battered by ongoing US sanctions and, more recently, the collapse of tourism during the COVID-19 pandemic, Cuba is lacking the foreign currency reserves needed for such investments. The Vietnamese company has directly hired 40 Cuban workers for the undertaking — another first in a country where employment is typically mediated by state-run agencies. The rest of the farm workers needed are being provided by his company, says Perez. "We, as a Cuban company, provide services to the Vietnamese company. They pay us for working the land, harvesting the rice, drying it, and milling it." Tran Trong Pai wearing a khaki uniform and standing in a rice field 30th July,2025

: GUNMAN KILLS 5 A gunman opened fire and killed five people in a fresh food market in Bangkok on Monday, Thai authorities said. The victims include four security guards and a market vendor, according to local media. The gunman took his own life after the shooting. What do we know about shooting? That brings the total number of fatalities to six, according to Charin Gopatta, Deputy Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police Bureau. Two women were also injured, according to the Erawan Medical Center. The Or Tor Kor market in the Chatuchak district, often visited by locals, is next to the Chatuchak Weekend Market popular with tourists. Though the motive is currently unclear, Thai police have stated they are "investigating the identity of the person and the motive for the incident." "It's a mass shooting," said Bang Sue deputy police chief Worapat Sukthai. He said that police are working to identify the gunman, as well as investigating "for any possible link" to the border clashes between Thailand and Cambodia, which ended in a ceasefire later on Monday. How common is gun violence in Thailand? Though Thailand has fairly strict gun restrictions, gun ownership in the country is not uncommon. While mass shootings are not frequent, Thailand has seen several deadly incidents in recent years. In 2023, a 14-year-old used a modified handgun to kill two people and injure five others in a luxury mall in Bangkok. Just one year earlier, one of the country’s worst mass killlings happened in 2022, when a police sergeant who had lost his job killed 36 people. 28th July,2025

EVACUEES SPEAK OUT The leaders of Thailand and Cambodia agreed on Monday to a ceasefire in a bid to end their deadliest conflict in more than a decade. Thailand's acting Prime Minister Phumtham Wechayachai and Cambodia's Prime Minister Hun Manet met on Monday morning at the official residence of Malaysia's Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim. International pressure on Bangkok and Phnom Penh to end the fighting had been growing ahead of the mediation meeting in Malaysia, which currently chairs the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). What began as an exchange of small arms fire , intensified into a multi-weapon conflictwith rocket launchers, fighter jets, and drones deployed during a five-day flare-up. Ahead of the ceasefire, which is expected to come into effect at midnight (17:00 UTC/GMT), the governor of Thailand's Surin province, Chamnan Chuenta, said the situation along the Thai-Cambodian border was volatile amid intensifying skirmishes across several districts. Surin hosts an evacuation camp where more than 6,000 people have sought refuge from the border clashes. Samit Yaekmum, a local administrative officer and sheriff in Baan Sawai in Surin's Kap Choeng district, described the fighting from his bunker earlier on Monday. "I'm in the bunker right now, but there's still a signal," he told DW. "The fighting has been ongoing from 3:00 a.m. until 2:00 p.m. today. Several BM-21 rockets landed in Kap Choeng District, about 20 kilometers from the mountain, but fortunately, no one was injured." A man stands outside a bunker protected with sandbagsA man stands outside a bunker protected with sandbags Concrete bunkers protected with sandbags have long been built in Thai villages at border crossings with CambodiaImage: Tommy Walker Taking shelter in bunkers Concrete bunkers protected with sandbags have long been built in Thai villages at border crossings with Cambodia for fear of conflict breaking out. Boonlert Atyingyong has spent the past five days living in a bunker in the village. Even though conditions are currently damp at this time of the year in Thailand, the 60-year-old decided not to be evacuated like the majority of people in his village. "I just want to live a normal life like everyone else. I have pets and responsibilities. If I walk away, there's no one else to take care of them," he told DW. "These days, we have to live very cautiously. If we hear any unusual sounds, we have to stay inside." Thailand-Cambodia border spat revives old fears for locals 02:56 Surin also has the second-highest number of civilian deaths since the conflict broke out on Wednesday morning, with at least four fatalities and ten injured. Some of those injured are being treated at Surin Hospital. On Sunday, suspended Thai Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra was visibly emotional after visiting the hospital to speak with some of those affected, not all of whom are civilians. One Thai soldier was fighting at the frontline on Wednesday morning at Ta Moan Thom, an ancient Khmer-Hindu temple near the Thai-Cambodia border. Mike, who comes from Chiang Mai in the north of Thailand, described his role in the military as a secret commander — so he wasn't allowed to provide his full name for security reasons. He has been hospitalized with injuries to his leg and arm from an explosion. "I was stationed on the frontline, doing my duty," the 35-year-old told DW. "I heard small arms gunfire at first and then it gradually escalated along the line, until it reached my position, around the Ta Moan Thom temple area." People stand outside Surin Hospital|s intensive care unitPeople stand outside Surin Hospital|s intensive care unit 28th July,2025

EUROPE SWELTERS Turkey's Environment Ministry said meteorologists had registered a reading of 50.5 degrees Celsius (122.9 degrees Fahrenheit) in the southeast of the country, setting a nationwide record. The record temperature was registered on Friday at Silopi, the ministry said in a post on X on Saturday. Silopi is 10 kilometers (6 miles) from Turkey's borders with Iraq and Syria. The previous heat record, registered in August 2023, was 49.5 degrees Celsius. How hot is it in Turkey? Turkey is sweltering under a heat wave that has hit much of the eastern Mediterranean since Monday and is expected to last several more days. The Environment Ministry said 132 weather stations across Turkey registered record temperatures for July. Temperatures are up to 12 degrees Celsius higher than seasonal averages, Turkey's meteorological service said earlier this week. Hospitals have reported a surge in cases of dehydration, heatstroke and foodborne illnesses, according to Turkish newspaper Hürriyet. Turkey battles disastrous wildfires Temperatures above seasonal norms have been exacerbated by strong winds and dry conditions, resulting in dozens of wildfires across the country. A new fire broke out on Friday close to high-rise apartments in the popular Mediterranean resort city of Antalya in southern Turkey. Homes were evacuated in the city center on Friday and the outlying district of Aksu as the fire advanced. At 46.1 degrees Celsius, July temperatures in Antalya city were the highest for the month since records began in 1930. Blazes were also reported in the provinces of Karabuk, Sakarya and Bilecik in northern Turkey, forcing the evacuation of several villages. On Wednesday, 13 people died fighting a fire in Eskisehir province in western Turkey. Speaking after Friday prayers, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Turkey was "faced with a truly great disaster." He said 25,000 personnel were fighting fires across the country, assisted by 27 planes, 105 helicopters and 6,000 ground vehicles. Two men wearing high-visibility vests stand near burning bush in Eskisehir, Turkey.Two men wearing high-visibility vests stand near burning bush in Eskisehir, Turkey. A wildfire in central Eskisehir province claimed the lives of 13 forest workers and rescuersImage: DHA Eastern Mediterranean hit by heat wave The heat wave in the eastern Mediterranean region has left countries such as Greece, Cyprus and Albania reeling under extreme heat or fighting fires. Greece on Saturday asked the European Union for help to battle wildfires that have sprung up in different regions. One of the worst fires broke out just north of Athens, destroying houses and forcing police to evacuate homes. A firefighter tries to extinguish a wildfire as a helicopter flies, in the northwestern suburb of Kryoneri, in Athens, Greece, Saturday, July 26, 2025. A firefighter tries to extinguish a wildfire as a helicopter flies, in the northwestern suburb of Kryoneri, in Athens, Greece, Saturday, July 26, 2025. Helicopters dropped water and firefighters battled the flames in a northwestern suburb of Athens on SaturdayImage: Yorgos Karahalis/AP Photo/picture alliance Strong winds were fanning the blaze near Athens and other sites and the Peloponnese peninsula that juts out west of the capital, fire brigade spokesperson Vasileios Vathrakogiannis said on Saturday, according to the AFP news agency. They were also feeding the flames on the islands of Crete, Euboea and Kythera, he added. "The hard part is ahead of us," he told reporters. The fires broke out nearly a week into a heat wave, in which temperatures in Greece passed 45 degrees Celsius. Greek authorities shut the Acropolis, the country's top archaeological site, during the hottest part of the day from midday to 5 p.m. for much of the week, including Saturday. They warned tourists to stay in the shade. 28th July,2025

MILITANT ATTACK ON CHURCH At least 43 people were killed in the Democratic Republic of Congo after a Catholic church was attacked on Sunday. Officials initially reported that Islamist Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) rebels had carried out the attack in which terrorists raided the church located in the northeastern town of Komanda as worshippers gathered for prayer. Later on Monday, the self-named "Islamic State" group (IS) announced on the messaging app Telegram that it had been behind the deadly incident. What do we know about the attack on the Catholic church? Nine children were among those killed, according to MONUSCO, the UN peacekeeping mission in the country. According to reports, houses and shops surrounding the church were also set ablaze by the rebels. "These targeted attacks on defenseless civilians, especially in places of worship, are not only revolting but also contrary to all norms of human rights and international humanitarian law," the mission's deputy chief, Vivian van de Perre, said in a statement. DR Congo conflict: Who are the main players? 01:38 Congo military denounces attack Sunday's attack marked the end of a months-long period of calm in the region of Ituri, bordering Uganda. In February, 23 people had died in an attack by the ADF in the province's Mambasa territory. The Congolese military condemned what it described as a "large-scale massacre" on Sunday. It said the ADF had decided to take "revenge on defenseless peaceful populations to spread terror." Eastern Congo is considered one of the world's most dangerous regions. Nearly 130 different armed groups are said to be active across the country, many of which are focused on controlling the region's vast and valuable reserves of natural resources like coltan, cobalt, gold and diamonds. Hostilities earlier this year between Congolese forces and the M23 rebel group ended in a truce on July 19. Who are the ADF? The ADF is a long-standing insurgent group originating in Uganda and operating in eastern Congo. They have been responsible for the killings of thousands of civilians. The group often uses hatchets and machetes to carry out attacks. In 2019, the ADF pledged allegiance to the "Islamic State" group. 28th July,2025

SOUTH'S OVERTURES Kim Yo Jong, the sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, on Monday dismissed the idea of a reset in relations with Seoul, despite dovish overtures from new South Korean President Lee Jae Myung. In the North's first official comments on Lee's administration, Kim criticized what she described as Seoul's "blind trust" in its alliance with Washington. Why was Kim's sister making the comments? Since coming to power in June, South Korean President Lee Jae Myung has broken with the hawkish approach of his predecessor to North Korea, ending loudspeaker propaganda broadcasts along the border. Seoul had started playing out loud political messages in response to North Korea flying trash-filled balloons across the frontier. The balloons were said to carry with them waste ranging from household garbage and cigarette butts to fertilizer, batteries, and parasite-contaminated soil. North Korea responded with its own cross-border broadcasts of unpleasant noises, such as sirens and scraping metal, into the South. President Lee has said he would seek talks with the North without preconditions after relations plummeted to their worst level in years under his conservative predecessor. What did Kim Yo Jong say? In a message in English carried by the North's official Korean Central News Agency on Monday, Kim said the South should not expect any thawing of relations. "If the ROK [Republic of Korea]... expects to reverse all the consequences of (its actions) with a few sentimental words, there could be no greater miscalculation than that," she said, using the official name for South Korea. "We clarify once again the official stand that no matter what policy is adopted and whatever proposal is made in Seoul, we have no interest in it and there is neither [any] reason to meet nor [any] issue to be discussed with the ROK," she added. As well as stopping the loudspeaker broadcasts, the South has tried to ban civilian activists from flying balloons with propaganda leaflets across the border. It has also repatriated six North Koreans who had drifted south in wooden fishing boats months earlier. The individuals had expressed a wish to return to the North. While Kim Yo Jong called such steps "sincere efforts" by Lee's government, she added that it would not ultimately by different from its predecessors. She cited the South's "blind trust" in its military alliance with the US and its attempt to "stand in confrontation" with North Korea. North Korea continues to back Russia's war against Ukraine 03:05 Kim also mentioned upcoming South Korea-US military exercises, which Pyongyang views as a rehearsal for invasion. Kim Yo Jong is seen as her brother's closest confidante and has played a key role in shaping his public image and in policy decisions. How firm is North Korea's stance? North Korea has continued rejecting dialogue with South Korea and the US, focusing instead on strengthening its nuclear weapons program since Kim Jong Un's diplomacy with Donald Trump collapsed in 2019 over sanctions disputes during the US president's first term in office. In response to Pyongyang's rejection of Lee's efforts, Seoul said it "reaffirms the high level of mistrust between the two due to years of hostile policies." "We take this as a sign that the North is closely monitoring the Lee administration's North Korea policy," South Korean Unification Ministry spokesman Koo Byung-sam told a press briefing. Trump, who began his second term in January, has frequently highlighted his personal rapport with Kim and said he is open to resuming negotiations. So far, North Korea has not responded publicly. Kim notably ordered the removal of peaceful unification as a constitutional goal in early 2024, labeling South Korea an "invariable principal enemy." The move was viewed as a historic break from past leaders' long-held aim of a unified Korea — albeit on the North's terms. The two Koreas technically remain at war, as the 1950–53 Korean War ended with an armistice rather than a peace treaty. 28th July,2025

MASS MURDER The confessions of a man who spent decades working at Dharmasthala, a famous pilgrimage center in India's southern state of Karnataka, have unveiled a scandal involving allegations of hundreds of murders and rapes. On July 3, the former sanitation worker made a statement to police. "I am filing this complaint with an extremely heavy heart and to recover from an insurmountable sense of guilt ... I can no longer bear the burden of memories of the murders I witnessed, the continuous death threats to bury the corpses I received, and the pain of beatings — that if I did not bury those corpses, I would be buried alongside them," the statement said. The man, who belongs to the Dalit community — a historically marginalized group from the lowest level of India's centuries-old discriminatory caste hierarchy — said he worked at the Dharmasthala temple between 1995 and 2014. He said he carried out much of his daily cleaning duties near the Nethravathi River, which flows close to the Dharmasthala temple—until things took a dark turn. In his complaint, a copy of which was seen by DW, the man said he started to "notice dead bodies appearing" near the river. "Among them, women's bodies were more numerous," the report stated. It was not immediately made clear how the bodies arrived where the man found them. 'Forced to dispose of hundreds of bodies' The man initially thought the bodies were the tragic results of suicide and drowning. However, he soon realized he was mistaken. "Many female corpses were found without clothes or undergarments," he said in his statement. "Some corpses showed clear signs of sexual assault and violence — injuries or strangulation marks indicating violence were visible on those bodies." Chief Minister of India's Karnataka state (2024 file)Chief Minister of India's Karnataka state (2024 file) Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah (center, in blue) has said his government will not succumb to any kind of pressure in the investigation of the caseImage: IDREES MOHAMMED/AFP The whistleblower said he was forced to dispose of hundreds of bodies, many of whom appeared to be underage girls. He described one particularly disturbing incident involving a teenage girl that has remained etched in his memory. "She was wearing a school uniform shirt. However, her skirt and undergarments were missing. Her body showed clear signs of sexual assault," according to his complaint. "There were strangulation marks on her neck. They instructed me to dig a pit and bury her along with her school bag." The man also wrote about "extremely cruel" murders that took place in the town near the temple. "Poor and destitute men who came for begging in the Dharmasthala area were systematically murdered … They would be tied to chairs in rooms and suffocated from behind using towels. These murders took place in my presence," he alleged. Why has the ex-worker at the temple come forward now? Without identifying anyone, the complainant alleged that his temple supervisors did not report the cases to authorities. Instead, he claimed that they beat him up and forced him to "to secretly dispose of these bodies." He alleged that his supervisor threatened him by saying: "We will cut you into pieces; your body will also be buried like the other corpses. We will sacrifice all your family members." The man described how he escaped from Dharmasthala in 2014 after a girl in his family was allegedly sexually harassed by a person thought to be connected to the temple supervisors. He said he wanted the perpetrators of the crimes to be held accountable, adding that he would help exhume the victims' bodies so they could receive "proper respect and funeral rites." Authorities begin probe into mass murders On July 22, the Karnataka government formed a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe the mass murders and allegations against the temple authorities. It came after S. Balan, a senior lawyer and human rights activist, led a delegation of lawyers to meet Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah. "There will be judicial intervention, but it all depends on public outcry," Balan said. The fresh revelations have prompted family members of girls in Dharmasthala who went missing or died under mysterious circumstances to request the reopening of unresolved cases — some of which date back to the 1980s. The family of a 17-year-old girl who was allegedly raped and murdered in 2012 has asked the government to investigate their daughter's case under the SIT. Indian Dalit women, girls targeted by upper-caste rapists 04:03 Sujatha Bhat, a former stenographer for the Central Bureau of Investigations whose daughter mysteriously disappeared in 2003, has also filed a fresh complaint with the police. "There are at least 367 such cases of missing or dead people in Dharmasthala," said lawyer Balan. A spokesperson for Dharmasthala, K. Parshwanath Jain, said that the temple administration supported a "fair and transparent investigation." "A case was recently registered at the Dharmasthala police station claiming that several dead bodies were buried, which has sparked widespread debate, speculation, and confusion at the national level," he said in a statement. In order to provide evidence for his claims, the former sanitation worker said he recently exhumed skeletal remains from one of the burial sites and submitted photographs to authorities. Ojaswi Gowda, the lawyer representing the complainant, told DW that "the Dharmasthala police could have visited the site where the complainant has claimed to bury the bodies, but it has even failed to do so." 28th July,2025

TRUMP TO CONTINUE DIPLOMACY DW: President Niinisto, we are speaking after a third meeting between Russia and Ukraine in Istanbul, Turkey this year that again failed to produce results to end the war. Do you see any chances for diplomacy to broker at least a ceasefire in the near future? Sauli Niininsto: What we've seen for more than three years is the continuation of the war. It seems that neither Russia nor Ukraine is going to achieve a complete victory. So if nothing else, we must try to reach an agreement through diplomacy. It looks like the European leaders do not know whether they should call Vladimir Putin or not. Germany's then-Chancellor Olaf Scholz called Putinin 2024. President Emmanuel Macron of France called him a few weeks ago. US President Donald Trump called him many times. Do you see any reason to continue phone conversations with Putin? Chancellor Scholz was heavily criticized after he called. But when Trump started doing it regularly, and then Macron took the same step, he was not criticized. So, in a way, European opinion followedPresident Trump here. I guess Trump will continue his kind of diplomacy, and in my opinion, if he does, Europe has to be involved somehow. Russia's war in Ukraine: A timeline of diplomatic efforts 02:22 In 2018 in Helsinki, when you met both Putin and Trump, Fiona Hill, who was an advisor to Trump at the time, said that you briefed Trump about Putin and Russia. What did you tell him, and what did he say to you? I told him that Putin is a fighter. You have to oppose him. That's very necessary. It doesn't break the discussion. I had the feeling that Putin likes a fight ? that we've seen that in other areas too. That's one element. Another is that whatever new ideas or views Putin supports, be careful if you're not completely aware of everything it might involve. One thing I learned is that he often opens an idea very modestly, even though he's been developing it in his mind for a long time. If you touch it, you're easily drawn into it. So I told Trump, if you don't fully understand what he means, or if it's a completely unknown idea, don't get involved. I also said that Putin likes to be respected ? not accepted, but respected. He considers it respectful when he's opposed, when you fight back. It seems like Donald Trump changed his attitude towards Russia recently. He now uses strong language to criticize Putin and he agreed to let Europeans buy American weapons for Ukraine. Is this a turning point or do you think he can still change his mind and stop support for Ukraine? That's a difficult question. I still believe Trump wants to be a peacemaker. I think his position regarding Putin is still the same. But yes, in a way, it is a turning point. We've seen some of those already. Becoming stronger in that discussion, that's already a turning point in itself. What do you think of Trump's 50-day ultimatum to Russia to end the war or face tougher sanctions? Could that bring a ceasefire closer? There have been time limits before. I think Trump's concrete actions and statements are more meaningful than just the "50 days" limit. Do you think Vladimir Putin could agree to Ukraine's EU membership? I think he has said publicly ? at least a few years ago ? that it's OK. Yes, but now we hear from Moscow that they may not be so happy about this, because they see Europe as a warlike organization. They say the EU is militarizing. What do you think? First of all, I hope that Europe becomes a lot stronger militarily. But it's not up to Russia to decide about EU enlargement. That's not their business. When I said I'd like to see a stronger Europe, I was thinking of a speech Putin gave in 2013 or 2014, where he said the West is weak because people are too idealistic and not ready to face real-world challenges. That's something we have to take seriously. Are we prepared to protect Europe and our countries? If you have an aggressive neighbor like Russia who thinks you're weak, that's a dangerous combination. So Europe must show strength and be seen as strong from the outside. Has the relationship between Trump and Putin gone sour? 28th July,2025

GERMAN HUMANITARIAN AID "One in 11 people worldwide are starving. Climate crisis, wars, inequality and reduced funding are also jeopardizing previous successes," reads the 2024 report of the NGO Deutsche Welthungerhilfe(WHH) which was presented in Berlin on Thursday. The message sounds pessimistic, almost desperate. Despite all the adversity, the private aid organization, which relies on government support and donations, is trying to spread confidence: "Our goal of a world without hunger remains achievable — if it is prioritized, politically willed and adequately funded," the report states. However, the NGO's figures show an alarming trend: 733 million people worldwide currently suffer from chronic malnutrition. Since 2019, that number has risen by 152 million. And the situation is likely to worsen further because the US and Germany, the most important donor countries, are massively reducing their budgets for development cooperation and humanitarian aid. "Cuts lead to loss of lives. What looks like austerity measures on paper means hunger, displacement or even death for millions of people," WHH President Marlehn Thieme warned. She stressed that the elimination of hunger remains a top political priority, given the increase of wars and crises. The Palestinian population in the Gaza Strip and the people of Sudan are particularly affected and increasingly unable to get assistance. The humanitarian situation in Gaza is one of the worst things he has seen in over 30 years, said WHH Secretary General Mathias Mogge. Sudan: Half of the population needs humanitarian aid The Sudanese army has been fighting the paramilitary group Rapid Support Forces since April 2023, displacing more than 11 million people within the country. According to the United Nations, around 25 million people in Sudan need humanitarian aid — about half of the population. According to Mogge, working in Sudan is more dangerous than almost anywhere else. "We still have staff on the ground, some of whom have to hide in villages and the surrounding area," he said. Sudan is one of the places where the international response began too late, Mogge said self-critically. That is why WHH has established what it calls a proactive humanitarian aid system to enable them to respond faster to crises and wars, as well as to the consequences of climate change. Mogge explained that this system enables them to make payments swiftly, "so that people don't lose everything they own, such as livestock, money and agricultural equipment. Instead, they can keep as much as possible and don't have to start from scratch later." 25th July,2025

DEADLY KNIFE British lawmakers and civil society groups have been fighting back for years, but social workers are convinced bans alone won’t solve the problem. DW | Documentary | London's Deadly Knife ProblemDW | Documentary | London's Deadly Knife Problem Image: BR England and Wales are now seeing more than 50,000 knife attacks per year, numbers that are alarming experts. London alone records more knife-related incidents than all of Germany. Social media is flooded with videos showing battles between rival gangs and individual youths — fought with machetes, swords, or kitchen knives. DW | Documentary | London's Deadly Knife ProblemDW | Documentary | London's Deadly Knife Problem Image: BR Easy access and widespread possession of knives have created a vicious cycle of weapons possession and violence. The problem is far from new, and Britain's lawmakers have tried to combat knife crime with bans, severe penalties, and crackdowns by law enforcement. At the same time, prevention programs are gaining broader support. DW | Documentary | London's Deadly Knife ProblemDW | Documentary | London's Deadly Knife Problem Image: BR Experts and social workers agree tougher laws aren’t enough. They are calling for sustainable, long-term initiatives, investments in underprivileged areas, and deeper engagement with young people. They say only a combination of these efforts will provide Britain’s youth with an alternative to violence and crime, adding that knife violence isn't just a public safety issue. It's a far-reaching social problem that will only be solved with a collective effort from both policymakers and civil society. 25th July,2025

MASS MURDERS The confessions of a man who claims to have worked in Dharmasthala, a pilgrimage center in India's southern state of Karnataka, have unveiled a scandal involving allegations of hundreds of murders and rapes. On July 3, the former sanitation worker made a statement to police. "I am filing this complaint with an extremely heavy heart and to recover from an insurmountable sense of guilt ... I can no longer bear the burden of memories of the murders I witnessed, the continuous death threats to bury the corpses I received, and the pain of beatings — that if I did not bury those corpses, I would be buried alongside them," the statement said. The man, who belongs to the Dalit community — a historically marginalized group from the lowest level of India's centuries-old discriminatory caste hierarchy — said that worked at the Dharmasthala temple between 1995 and 2014. He said that he worked near the Nethravathi river, which flows close to the Dharmasthala temple, until things took a dark turn. In is complaint, a copy of which was seen by DW, the man said he started to "notice dead bodies appearing" near the river. "Among them, women's bodies were more numerous," the complaint said. It was not immediately made clear how the bodies arrived where the man found them. 'Forced to dispose of hundreds of bodies' The man initially thought the bodies were cases of suicide and drowning. However, he soon realized he was mistaken. "Many female corpses were found without clothes or undergarments," he said in his complaint. "Some corpses showed clear signs of sexual assault and violence; injuries or strangulation marks indicating violence were visible on those bodies." 25th July,2025

ISRAEL-HAMAS WAR The ministry is run by Hamas, which Israel, the US, Germany, the EU and other organizations designate as a terrorist organization. The United Nations and Israeli intelligence officials deem the numbers reported by Gaza's health ministry as reliable. Given Israel's ongoing military operation in the small enclave, numbers cannot be independently verified. Several third-party studies have indicated the true death toll could be nearly twice as high. According to a study by an international research team, more than 80,000 Palestinians are said to have been killed by January of this year. The scientific journal Nature reported on the study, which was conducted under the direction of Michael Spagat from Royal Holloway College, University of London, in late June 2025. The scientists worked closely with the research organization The Palestinian Center for Policy and Survey Research (PCPSR), which is funded by the European Union, among others. PCPSR staff surveyed 2,000 families about deaths within their household and then extrapolated the figures. A study published in the Lancet in January of this year also found that deaths in Gaza were being underreported. For this study, obituaries on social networks were compared with the Health Ministry's lists. The war in Gaza was triggered by a terrorist attack Hamas led on Israel on October 7, 2023. Around 1,200 people were killed, and Hamas abducted 251 people as hostages in the Gaza Strip. According to official Israeli information, 50 people kidnapped from Israel are still being held in the Gaza Strip, at least 20 of whom are believed to be alive. According to the Times of Israel on Tuesday, 895 Israeli army personnel have also died in the war. How many people are starving in the Gaza Strip? After almost two years of war, the lack of basic goods entering the Gaza Strip has had dramatic consequences. Many Palestinians are suffering from hunger, often lacking most basic necessities. According to Welthungerhilfe, a German non-profit humanitarian assistance organization, the 25 remaining bakeries had to close at the beginning of April. Most of the 177 community kitchens have also run out of supplies, Welthungerhilfe told DW. Almost one in three people eat nothing for days on end, the UN World Food Program (WFP) told DW. For most of them, food aid is the only way to get any food at all. 25th July,2025

SCHOOL CHILDREN KILLED At least seven children have been killed and two critically injured as the roof of a school building partially collapsed in India's western state of Rajasthan on Friday. The news was reported by several Indian outlets, including the Indian Express newspaper and television channel NDTV. What do we know about the Rajasthan school roof collapse? The incident occurred at the Piplodi Government School around 8:30 a.m. local time (0300 GMT), according to NDTV's report. It cited officials saying around 40 children, in addition to teachers and staff members, were inside when the roof of class six and seven of the one-story building collapsed. "Seven children have lost their lives so far and 26 others are injured," Nand Kishore, a senior police officer in the state of Rajasthan, told AFP. Two of those children are critically injured and in the intensive care unit. All students were between the ages of eight and 11. Eyewitnesses told the media that the roof suddenly caved in due to persistent heavy rainfall over the past few days and that the building had been in a dilapidated state. Investigation underway Rescue operations conducted through the morning were completed by the afternoon. State leaders announced that an investigation was to be conducted to determine the reason of the collapse. Initial visuals from other news agencies showed locals gathered around the debris, helping rescuers to clear it. In a post on X, Rajasthan Chief Minister Bhajanlal Sharma commented on the "heart-wrenching" incident. 25th July,2025

PALESTINIAN STATE French President Emmanuel Macron has said France will formally recognize Palestinian statehood in September. The announcement was met with a sharp rebuke from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who said Macron's decision "rewards terror." It comes as Gaza faces a severe humanitarian crisis, with media outlets urging Israel to open Gaza to journalists. Meanwhile, Trump envoy Steve Witkoff said the US is withdrawing from Gaza ceasefire talks in Doha, Qatar. Witkoff accused Hamas of taking a "selfish position." Hamas, which carried out the October 7, 2023, terror attacks, continues to hold Israeli hostages. This blog is now closed. It was a roundup of developments in Israel, Gaza and the wider Middle East on Thursday, July 24. Skip next section US Secretary of State Rubio 'strongly rejects' Macron's plan 07/25/2025July 25, 2025 US Secretary of State Rubio 'strongly rejects' Macron's plan US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Thursday sharply criticized France's intention to recognize a Palestinian state and called the decision "reckless." "The United States strongly rejects Emmanuel Macron's plan to recognize a Palestinian state," Rubio wrote on X. "This reckless decision only serves Hamas propaganda and sets back peace. It is a slap in the face to the victims of October 7th." Show additional content? This content is part of the text you are currently reading. The provider X / Twitter provides this content and may collect your usage data directly when you click “Show content”. Always show content from X / Twitter. https://p.dw.com/p/4xzzW Copy link Skip next section Palestinians welcome Macron's decision 07/25/2025July 25, 2025 Palestinians welcome Macron's decision The Palestinian Authority on Thursday welcomed French President Emmanuel Macron's declaration that France would formally recognize a Palestinian state at the UN General Assembly in September. Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas' deputy Hussein al-Sheikh said the decision "reflects France's commitment to international law and its support for the Palestinian people's rights to self-determination and the establishment of our independent state." Earlier on Thursday, Macron published a letter sent to Abbas confirming France's intention to press ahead with Palestinian recognition. The militant group Hamas called Macron's pledge a "positive step in the right direction toward doing justice to our oppressed Palestinian people and supporting their legitimate right to self-determination." Meanwhile, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez also welcomed the French decision to join Spain in recognizing an independent Palestinian state, saying it would "protect" a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. "Together, we must protect what Netanyahu is trying to destroy. The two-state solution is the only solution," the Spanish PM posted on X. 25th July,2025

VOLKSWAGEN PROFITS DOWN The deputy speaker of the parliament in the southwestern state of Baden-Württemberg has stepped down after admitting he had drawn a swastika on a ballot paper next to the name of a far-right AfD lawmaker. Center-left Social Democrat (SPD) politician Daniel Born made the transgression during a vote involving two Alternative for Germany (AfD) lawmakers. Born said he would also step down from the SPD parliamentary group. However, Born stopped short of giving up his seat in parliament. Explaining his actions, Born cited deep concern over the far-right AfD and its disruptive conduct during thevote. Whether marking a swastika on a ballot during a secret vote constitutes a prosecutable crime remains to be determined by investigators and possibly the courts. Read more about the story here. https://p.dw.com/p/4y3L5 Copy link Skip next section German business sentiment cautiously optimistic 07/25/2025July 25, 2025 German business sentiment cautiously optimistic Lower interest rates, multi-billion-euro government investment plans and confidence that the European Union (EU) could secure a more favorable US trade deal have all contributed to a cautiously optimistic outlook in Germany's business sector this month. After the European Central Bank (ECB) left interest rates at 2% on Thursday, German ten-year government bond yields hit their highest in four months on Friday, with ECB President Christine Lagarde suggesting policymakers were less concerned than before about an abrupt slowdown in growth. Meanwhile, economic data suggests the Eurozone is weathering uncertainty over US tariffs reasonably well, with optimism growing that the EU will be able to secure a trade agreement with the United States at a lower tariff than the 30% threatened by President Donald Trump. "After good PMI numbers and a positive tone from the ECB, the path towards higher rates is becoming even clearer," commented ING rates strategist Michiel Tukker. "If a trade deal gets signed, we should see rates move up further." As for the precise impact on Germany, however, ifo President Clemens Fuest remained cautious about the broader outlook, telling the dpa news agency: "The upturn in the German economy remains sluggish." Similarly, Commerzbank chief economist Jörg Krämer attributed any economic growth next year — estimated at 1.4% — primarily to increased government spending, but bemoaned the lack of a "fundamental reset of economic policy." 25th July,2025

EU-CHINA SUMMIT Chinese President Xi Jinping met with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen in Beijing at a tense bilateral summit, making no headway on geopolitical disputes and only modest advances on trade and climate change. While EU leaders raised concerns over China's export surplus flooding European markets with cheap goods, and Beijing allegedly providing support for Russia's war in Ukraine, Chinese officials denied responsibility for these challenges and instead called for a deepening of the partnership. "As our cooperation has deepened, so have imbalances," von der Leyen told Xi during their meeting, describing EU-China trade imbalances as having reached "an inflection point" where China must "come forward with real solutions." But Xi told von der Leyen and European Council President Antonio Costa that "there are no fundamental conflicts of interest or geopolitical contradictions” between the two sides and urged the bloc to "properly handle differences and frictions." "It is hoped that the European side will keep the trade and investment market open and refrain from using restrictive economic and trade tools," Xi said, according to a Chinese version of a press release published by China's Foreign Ministry. Von der Leyen addresses trade imbalance between EU, China 05:27 China and EU to 'step up' efforts to address climate change Despite the apparent discrepancy over trade and the Ukraine war, the two sides found common ground on climate change, releasing a joint statement that reaffirmed their commitment to deepen cooperation on green transition. They have also agreed to establish what von der Leyen described as an "upgraded export supply mechanism" aimed at fast-tracking licenses for rare earth materials — over which China dominates global supply and has recently tightened export controls. Still, the summit is unlikely to shift the trajectory of EU-China tensions in the long run, said Abigael Vasselier, head of the foreign relations team at the Mercator Institute for China Studies (MERICS), a think tank, during an online media briefing. "Europe needs to be ready for a long-term struggle and probably needs to rethink its China strategy at this stage," she said. 25th July,2025

BORDER CHECKS Poland plans to extend border controls with Germany and Lithuania beyond the initial 30-day period that began this month. Meanwhile, Munich Airport is reportedly planning a special terminal to process migrant deportations In other news, German Catholics have criticized the "catastrophic" humanitarian situation in Gaza These live updates have been closed. Thank you for reading. Below, you can read a summary of DW's coverage of the developments, backgrounders and analysis from Germany from Thursday, July 24. 25th July,2025

3 PATRIOT SYSTEMS SECURED The upper house of the Russian parliament approved a bill that penalizes online searches for information officially labeled "extremist." It is the latest in a series of moves by authorities to tighten control of the internet. The legislation makes what it describes as "deliberately searching for and accessing extremist materials" online punishable by a fine of up to the equivalent of $64 (€54). The bill, which was endorsed by the lower house earlier this week, is now set to be signed into law by President Vladimir Putin. In Russia, the official definition of extremist activity is extremely broad and includes opposition groups such as the Anti-Corruption Foundation, which was created by the late opposition leader Alexei Navalny, as well as the "international LGBT movement." It is unclear how the authorities will track down violators. According to officials and lawmakers, only those who methodically seek outlawed content will be targeted, and ordinary internet users won't be affected. However, no explanation was offered as to how authorities would differentiate between them. Many Russians use VPN services to access banned content. However, authorities have sought to tighten restrictions and close loopholes. Russian authorities have ramped up their multipronged crackdown on dissent after sending troops into Ukraine in February 2022, with online censorship and prosecutions for social media posts and comments having soared since then. Multiple independent news outlets and rights groups have been shut down, labeled as "foreign agents," or outlawed as "undesirable." Additionally, hundreds of activists and Kremlin critics have faced criminal charges. 25th July,2025

5 PATRIOT SYSTEMS Leaders from the Ukraine Defense Contact Group are meeting virtually to discuss further military support for Kyiv, as it continues to defend against Russia's full-scale invasion. At that meeting, Germany said it would help provide a total of five Patriot missile defense systems to Ukraine, after previously pledging to pay for two units. The meeting was hours after Ukraine had launched major drone attacks on Russia overnight, sowing chaos at the country's airports. Kyiv has increasingly targeted the Russian capital, launching at least 60 drones at Moscow over the weekend. Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Ukraine and Russia will hold another round of talks on Wednesday. This blog on Russia's war in Ukraine from Monday, July 21, is now closed. Thank you for reading. Skip next section PM Store says Norway ready to help fund Patriots for Ukraine 07/22/2025July 22, 2025 PM Store says Norway ready to help fund Patriots for Ukraine Press conference by Chancellor Merz and the Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Norway, Jonas Gahr Store, at the Chancellery in BerlinPress conference by Chancellor Merz and the Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Norway, Jonas Gahr Store, at the Chancellery in Berlin Store made the remarks at a press conference after meeting with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz in BerlinImage: Uwe Koch/IMAGO Norway is ready to help Germany fund Patriot missile systems for Ukraine, Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Store said Monday. Store made the remarks at a press conference after meeting with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz in Berlin. "Norway is prepared to share the bill. We will make a significant contribution. This is the most immediate operational solution we can provide," Store said. US President Donald Trump said last week that the US would be selling Patriot units to European NATO members, which will then be sent to Ukraine. Merz explained that Germany would supply two of its existing nine Patriot units to Ukraine, with the US due to provide "replacements." "But this replacement has not yet actually been procured," the chancellor said, adding that US and German defense ministers were in discussions "about where the replacement will come from." Merz added that he was "extremely grateful that the Norwegian government and the prime minister have shown such commitment and are willing to share the costs we will incur if we have to make the necessary replacement purchases." Store, for his part, pointed out that Norway has already supplied "a great deal of air defense" to Ukraine, namely the Norwegian-made NASAMS system. He praised Germany for "sending a clear signal that it is ready to deliver a Patriot system." But, he added, "the US would be very helpful if they explained clearly how this can work." "I think President Trump's message of contributing to this is a good start. But things have to be clear," Store said. https://p.dw.com/p/4xoRS Copy link Skip next section Ukraine, Russia to hold next round of talks on Wednesday — Zelenskyy 07/21/2025July 21, 2025 Ukraine, Russia to hold next round of talks on Wednesday — Zelenskyy Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Ukraine and Russia will hold another round of talks on Wednesday. Two previous rounds held in Istanbul failed to yield any meaningful progress on a ceasefire. The only agreements reached were for the large-scale exchanges of prisoners of war (POWs). "Today, I discussed with (Ukrainian Defense Minister) Rustem Umerov the preparations for the exchange and another meeting in Turkey with the Russian side. Umerov reported that the meeting is scheduled for Wednesday. More details will be available tomorrow," Zelenskyy said in his daily address. On Sunday, Zelenskyy had proposed a fresh round of direct negotiations. Moscow responded earlier Monday, with the Kremlin saying Russia is open to talks but that significant work remained before they could take place, as both sides remained "diametrically opposed." Before Zelenskyy confirmed the talks would be held on Wednesday, he had said that detailed negotiations on a ceasefire would not be on the agenda. The meeting would instead deal with furthering the return of Ukrainian POWs and children abducted from Ukraine by Russia, in addition to laying the groundwork for Zelenskyy and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin to meet. Moscow wants Ukraine to cede territories that Russia has illegally occupied since launching its 2022 invasion. Kyiv wants Russia to end its attack and respect Ukraine's desire to join the NATO military alliance. 23rd July,2025

TALIBAN ENVOYS Germany said Monday that it has allowed two envoys from Afghanistan's ruling Taliban regime to enter the country for the first time since the hardline, Islamist movement seized power in 2021. The measure was approved to facilitate further deportations of Afghan migrants, after 81 Afghans with failed asylum claims and criminal convictions were deported on Friday. That flight was the second of its kind since Germany resumed deportations to Afghanistan last year, which were halted after the Taliban returned to power and Germany closed its embassy in Kabul. Afghanistan: Women become 'invisible' under Taliban 02:10 Merz insists Taliban will not be formally recognized The German government, like the rest of the international community except for Russia, does not formally recognize the Taliban government because of its human rights record and in particular its treatment of women. But it does have "technical contacts" with the Taliban to deal with the deportations, which Qatar has facilitated. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has emphasized that despite the consular staff being allowed to enter and work in the country, there will be no diplomatic recognition of the Taliban Islamists. Currently, the Afghan diplomatic representations in Germany are headed by officials who were accredited before the 2021 Taliban takeover, according to the German Foreign Office, which added that staff at the Afghan missions are stretched thin. "The German government has an interest in ensuring that Afghan nationals in Germany receive adequate consular support — this includes, for example, the issuance of passports," the Foreign Office said. The Taliban envoys, who arrived in Germany over the weekend, will work at the Afghan embassy in Berlin and the Afghan consulate in Bonn, according to the German daily Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung (FAZ). German deportations to Afghanistan spark rebuke 05:31 Hot button issue amid rise of far-right Germany stopped deportations to Afghanistan in 2021 when the Taliban retook control of the country. However, amid a rise of the far-right and anti-immigrant rhetoric, the government led by the conservative bloc of Chancellor Merz has put deportations high on the agenda. The deportations had already resumed under Merz's predecessor Olaf Scholz, who had pledged to ramp up removals of rejected asylum-seekers and migrants with criminal convictions in the wake of violent attacks involving migrants. The deportations of Afghan migrants and asylum-seekers to Afghanistan has drawn sharp criticism from the United Nations. Ravina Shamdasani, spokesperson for the UN Human Rights Office (OHCHR) said it was "not appropriate to return people to Afghanistan," while speaking to reporters in Geneva. "We have been documenting continuing human rights violations in Afghanistan," she said. Arafat Jamal, who works for the UN refugee agency (UNHCR) in Kabul, said a "non-return advisory" was still in place for Afghanistan, highlighting that "conditions on the ground are not yet ready for returns." "We urge countries not to forcibly return to Afghanistan," he said. German government spokesman Stefan Kornelius has said that further deportation flights are in the pipeline. "The government has committed to systematic expulsions of those convicted of crimes and this will not be accomplished with just one flight," he said. Afghan refugee family faces migration reality in Germany 23rd July,2025

TREASURE ISLANDS For this two-part documentary, a camera team travels in a propeller plane to the "treasure islands” of the Pacific. They circumnavigate an area that - though roughly the size of China and the USA combined - has only half the population of Berlin. View from the cockpit of a fighter jet of the military aircraft flying aheadView from the cockpit of a fighter jet of the military aircraft flying ahead Image: ZDF The Pacific Ocean is larger than the entire land mass of the Earth combined. All the continents could fit into it and still be surrounded by water. Today, it is increasingly becoming a strategic arena for the world’s major powers - each seeking to safeguard its own economic and political interests. German officer in combat uniform stands in front of fighter jets in an airplane hangarGerman officer in combat uniform stands in front of fighter jets in an airplane hangar Ingo Gerhartz, a longtime officer from the German Air ForceImage: ZDF In Hawaii, the team accompanies the German Air Force’s Eurofighter pilots, as well as naval divers from the German Armed Forces. They are practicing to defend German interests in the Pacific. From an economic point of view alone, it is absolutely clear "that the Pacific has a very important, fundamental significance for Germany,” explains Ingo Gerhartz, a longtime officer from the German Air Force, who was recently named Commander of the NATOAllied Joint Force Command in Brunssum, the Netherlands. Young woman with short blonde hair, sunglasses and life jacket sits in a boat off the coast of HawaiiYoung woman with short blonde hair, sunglasses and life jacket sits in a boat off the coast of Hawaii Lucie KnorImage: ZDF Lucie Knor, a German doctoral student, is researching how an increased uptake of greenhouse gases is affecting living conditions in the ocean around Hawaii. Two women on a small motorboat looking out to sea.Two women on a small motorboat looking out to sea. Nan Hauser and her team keep an eye out for whalesImage: ZDF On the Cook Islands, the team finds out how climate change impacts the lives of whales. Whale researcher Nan Hauser and her team hope that their work will shed new light on the migration of whales - to protect them. A small group of humpback whales in the PacificA small group of humpback whales in the Pacific Thanks to Nan Hauser's efforts, the humpback whale population has stabilized again in the waters of the Cook Islands.Image: ZDF They say their research is also about "giving whales a voice so that people love and respect them,” says Nan Hauser. A hand holds a manganese nodule up to the cameraA hand holds a manganese nodule up to the camera Image: ZDF Many islands are facing an uncertain future. But on the Cook Islands, people are hoping for a new gold rush, thanks to the presence of minerals in the seabed that could become increasingly valuable as demand for renewable energies grows. Mark Brown, head of the Cook Islands government, says deep-sea mining has the potential to make his island nation more economically independent. 23rd July,2025

RUSSIA TO FINE PEOPLE Russian lawmakers on Tuesday approved a bill to fine internet users for searching online content that authorities consider "extremist." Unusually, the legislation has drawn criticism from both opposition activists and some pro-government figures. The lower house of the Russian parliament, the State Duma, approved the bill with 306 votes in favor and 67 against. The bill will now be sent to Russia's upper house, where it is unlikely to face major opposition. What does Russia consider 'extremist' content? Russia's Ministry of Justice's list of extremist materials spans more than 500 pages and contains over 5,000 entries. These include songs that praise Ukraine and blog posts by the feminist rock band Pussy Riot. The legislation would impose fines of up to 5,000 rubles (€54 or $64) on anyone who searched for or gained access to content material on the list. It is still unclear how the bill would work in practice. The question of whether internet service providers or websites would be responsible for monitoring users' searches remains unanswered. Protesters call it 'something out of 1984' Several activists and a journalist from the Russian newspaper Kommersant were arrested for protesting against the bill outside the State Duma a few hours before the vote. Russian opposition politician Boris Nadezhdin stands in front of journalists near the headquarters of the lower house of Russia's parliament in Moscow 23rd July,2025

UN CHIEF CALLS GAZA A 'HORROR SHOW' The US State Department has confirmed the death of Hosam Saraya, a US citizen, in the predominantly Druze region of Sweida in Syria last week. A State Department spokesperson said that they are providing consular assistance to the family. However, the spokesperson declined to provide further details. Earlier, ABC News reported that Saraya's friends and family confirmed seeing him and other relatives in a video showing people being shot. 23rd July,2025

GERMAN COMPANIES SHOW OPTIMISM There is always an element of psychology in economics. If companies are confident they can do good business in the future, they will strongly invest. If prospects look poor, they will hold on to the money. The COVID-19 pandemic with its collapse of international supply chains, the war in Ukraine, the subsequent energy crisis and inflation, the weakening economy in China — all took a heavy toll on the export-oriented German economy. Economic activity nosedived. Germany slid into a lasting recession. Since then, optimism has not returned. The Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) registered a lower investment ratio for Germany in 2024 than all other 38 member countries. Group photo of attendees of "Made for Germany" summit in Berlin on July 21, 2025Group photo of attendees of "Made for Germany" summit in Berlin on July 21, 2025 Chancellor Merz (3rd from left), Finance Minister Klingbeil (2nd from right) and Economics Minister (left) and 60 business leaders in the ChancelleryImage: Katharina Kausche/dpa/picture alliance 631 billion euros of investments planned That will soon change, according to the heads of leading companies in Germany. A total of 61 of them, including corporations such as Airbus, BASF, BMW, Deutsche Börse, Mercedes-Benz, Rheinmetall, SAP, Volkswagen but also the US corporations Nvidia, Blackrock and Blackstone — have launched the initiative "Made for Germany." The name is reminiscent, deliberately, of the slogan "Made in Germany" which has become a symbol of quality. Together, the corporations representing a third of the German economy want to invest €631 billion ($733 billion) in Germany over the next three years. The money will go toward new and existing factories, as well as research and development. "We want economic growth, we want to strengthen Germany's competitiveness, we want to defend our technological leadership or extend it further," one of the alliance's two initiators, Siemens chief executive Roland Busch, said following a meeting of the initiative with government politicians at the chancellery. Christian Sewing, chief executive of Deutsche Bank and co-initiator of the alliance alongside Busch, expects even more businesses to join. "Germany is back. It's worth investing in Germany again," said Chancellor Friedrich Merz of the conservative Christian Democrats (CDU) after the meeting, describing the situation as "one of the largest investment initiatives that we have seen here in Germany in recent decades. We are not a location of the past, but a location of the present and above all the future," he added. Rearming Europe means booming business for German startups 23rd July,2025

TRUMP ANNOUNCES JAPAN TRADE DEAL US President Donald Trump said he had reached a trade deal with Japan on Tuesday. Under the new terms, the US will place a 15% tariff on goods imported from Japan, down from a previously threatened 25% tariff. Trump also claimed that Japan would invest $550 billion (€468.5 billion) in the United States "at my direction" and would "open" its economy to American autos and rice. "This deal will create hundreds of thousands of jobs — there has never been anything like it," Trump posted on Truth Social. He added that the United States "will continue to always have a great relationship with the country of Japan." How did Japan react to the announcement? Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba said he was ready to meet or speak over the phone with Trump after being briefed on the details by Japan's top trade negotiator Ryosei Akazawa, who has been in Washington for talks. "As for what to make of the outcome of the negotiations, I am not able to discuss it until after we carefully examine the details of the negotiations and the agreement," Ishiba told reporters in Tokyo after Trump's announcement. Meanwhile, Akazawa posted on X: "Mission accomplished." Shares in Japanese automakers jumped following the announcement, with Mazda up 12%, Toyota up around 10%, Honda up by over 8% and and Nissan up 6.5%. 23rd July,2025

RISE IN STUDENT SUICIDES Student suicides have reached an alarming scale in India, with students making up 7.6% of the country's total suicide deaths, according to a recently released report by National Crime Records Bureau. The report, which used the most recent data from 2022, showed that an estimated 13,000 students die every year by suicide in India. Official figures for suicides in 2023 and 2024 have yet to be published. Research and government reports point to a combination of academic and social stress, and lack of institutional support and awareness, as contributing factors. "I see these numbers as not just statistics but as signs of silent suffering buried under societal norms and expectations," Anjali Nagpal, a neuropsychiatrist who has studied the issue closely, told DW. "I have observed that children are not taught how to handle failure, disappointment, or uncertainty. We prepare them for exams, not for life," she added. "Mental health education should be a regular part of school life not limited to isolated sessions. Students need space to talk and be heard. Teachers must be trained to listen, not just lecture," Nagpal said. 23rd July,2025

GERMAN SHADOW ECONOMY BOOMS The German economy has been shrinking for more than two years, and 2025 offers only a slight glimmer of hope for an economic recovery. Surprisingly, the so-called shadow economy — encompassing all economic activity happening off the books — is surging. So what's behind the fact that the share of undeclared work has jumped to more than 11% of Germany's overall economic output in just one year? According to labor market expert Friedrich Schneider, who calculated this figure, the volume of undeclared work in 2024 was worth a total of €482 billion ($562 billion) — more than the entire government budget, and marking the highest level in nearly a decade. For 2025, the economist from Johannes Kepler University in Linz, Austria, projects a further rise to €511 billion, an increase of 6.1%. Schneider has been studying the phenomenon for over 40 years, and prefers to call it "shadow economy" rather than illegal work, he told DW. "[Undeclared] economic activities, like repairing a car or cleaning, are legal but they're carried out without paying taxes or social contributions," he said, adding that legal requirements such as minimum wage laws or working time limits are often ignored in the shadow economy. A group of workers on a construction site in Germany.A group of workers on a construction site in Germany. The construction sector is especially prone to undeclared work, as well as hospitality and cleaning servicesImage: picture-alliance/dpa/Winfried Rothermel With a shadow economy share between 11% and 12% of gross domestic product (GDP), Germany ranks in the middle compared to other industrialized countries, according to Schneider, with Romania topping the list with around 30%, and Greece coming in second at about 22%. When calculating shadow economy output, Schneider compares the amount of cash in circulation with official economic output figures. 23rd July,2025

ANTI-CORRUPTION BODIES The European Union's enlargement commissioner criticized a vote in the Ukrainian parliament to strip two anti-corruption bodies of their independence. Marta Kos stressed that the independence of the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU) and anti-graft prosecutor's office were "essential for Ukraine's EU path." Meanwhile, Ukraine's Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko said in an interview that she is likely to discuss a fresh loan program with the IMF next month. Ukraine and Russia are scheduled to hold the third round of peace talks in Istanbul on Wednesday. 23rd July,2025

DONALD TRUMP'S TARIFFS US President Donald Trump's reliance on tariffs rather than sanctions has been described as both the "world's worst bet" and "a powerful proven source of leverage" to protect the national interests of the United States. While tariffs essentially are taxes on imports to protect domestic industries, sanctions are penalties imposed on other countries to punish or influence their governments. Sanctions typically put restrictions on trade or finance. Since his return to the White House in January, Trump's tariff threats against dozens of countries have created great uncertainty among US businesses and global trading partners. What's become known as "tariff tango" — bold pledges of steep duties on foreign goods, followed by abrupt reversals — suits Trump's shifting political or economic goals. Yet, financial markets remain on edge, not knowing how or when the president may deploy tariffs next. The tariff on China, the biggest economic and military rival to the US, reached historic highs in April, soaring to 145% before being significantly cut the following month after trade talks in London. Trump's sudden increase and later rollback of tariffs show how he uses them as a flexible way to fix what he sees as unfair trade, based on past trade disputes. "What shapes the president's views is the rapid rise of Japan in the 1980s, and the feeling that the Japanese were out-competing the iconic American car industry because the US has been too generous in its trade terms," Jennifer Burns, associate professor of history at Stanford University, 21st July,2025

POLICE ARREST SUSPECT The viral video shows a Pakistani woman holding a copy of the Quran, somewhere in the Balochistan desert, before she was shot. She reportedly married against the wishes of her family. Pakistani authorities on Sunday arrested a suspect after a viral video on social media showed a man and a woman being shot and killed for marrying against their family's wishes. The practice, known as "honor killing," is a fairly prevalent one in Pakistan and some neighboring countries where eloped couples are killed to "restore" the family's social standing and reputation. Honor killings also occur in other situations where the partiarch deems the family's honor has been affected by women's actions. In this instance, the unidentified couple was shot on the orders of a local tribe council in the southwestern Balochistan province, local authorities ascertained after an investigation. Provincial chief minister Sarfraz Bugti, in a statement, said one of the suspects had been arrested under terrorism laws once the people in the video were identified. What did the 'honor killing' video show? The video, taken in a desert amid pickup trucks, shows the woman being given a copy of the Quran. She then tells a man: "Come walk seven steps with me, after that you can shoot me." The man followed her for a few steps when she said, "You are allowed only to shoot me. Nothing more than that." The man then aimed the pistol at her and shot her three times. The woman did not cry or seek mercy but simply dropped to the ground after the third shot. The video then showed the bloody corpse of a man lying on the ground beside her. The men are then shown shooting at both bodies. 21st July,2025

KENYA DROPS TERROR CHARGES Mwangi was detained on Saturday and accused of the "facilitation of terrorist acts", which he denied. After widespread condemnation, he was charged with a lesser offense of unlawful possession of ammunition. The prominent Kenyan activist Boniface Mwangi was charged with unlawful possession of ammunition on Monday in a case stemming from his alleged role in street protests against the government. Mwangi's supporters had feared he would be charged with the more serious offense of terrorism. He was freed on bond immediately after his appearance in court on Monday. Authorities said Mwangi helped organize unrest during the June 25 protests, which turned violent and left at least 19 people dead. The protest itself had been called to remember victims of police violence at another major protest against President William Ruto's government on the same date last year. 21st July,2025

LIMATE CHANGE The next heat wave has been forecast in Germany. How is a country known for its lack of air conditioning preparing This summer has seen some hot days in Germany. Very hot. In early July, temperatures in Hamburg and Cologne soared to 37 degrees Celsius (98.6 F). Some areas recorded temperatures close to 40 C. In earlier years, such temperatures were not typically recorded until early August — a development that experts attribute to climate change. On radio, television and social media, people were urged to stay at home, especially during the middle of the day. During that heat wave, DW asked people on the streets of Berlin how they prepared. A young woman showed the small fan she had with her, saying: "In the end I have this thing here." Another woman said: "I try to cool off. I drink a lot but still try to enjoy the sun." A man said: "I have my hat, drink a lot of water and walk in the shade." In 2025 so far, temperatures have been extremely high for only short stretches, not over long periods. What can authorities do to better protect people from extreme heat? DW asked spokespeople from federal ministries in Berlin whether the government is planning any new measures following the first heat wave in early July. German farmers feel the heat 21st July,2025

FAR-RIGHT ELECTION SURGE Despite losing his parliamentary majority after a strong showing by right-wing populists, Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba wants to remain in office. Japan's coalition government led by Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba lost its parliamentary majority in Sunday's election after large gains made by right-wing populist parties, in a sign that right-wing populism and polarization are now also undermining political stability in Japan. For now, Ishiba has vowed to hang on as prime minister, despite the second election debacle in nine months. His Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) lost a snap election last October, making it a minority party ruling with a coalition. Ishiba has said he would "humbly accept" the result and "continue to take responsibility for national affairs." However, Ishiba's continuation as prime minister no longer depends on him alone. A strengthened opposition could topple him at any time with a vote of no confidence, even if these parties are not united enough to forge a governing coalition themselves. Ishiba also faces the threat of a rebellion within the LDP, which has governed Japan almost continuously for 70 years and has always controlled at least one chamber of parliament. Conservative LDP heavyweight Taro Aso has said he "could not accept" Ishiba as prime minister. However, potential successors appear to be staying under cover for the time being. "Nobody wants to replace Ishiba in these difficult times for the LDP," political scientist Masahiro Iwasaki from Nihon University in Tokyo told DW. 21st July,2025

FERRY FIRE KILLS SEVERAL Rescuers retrieved five bodies, including a pregnant woman following the fire on a passenger ferry. The vessel was heading to Manado, the capital of North Sulawesi province and caught fire in the water. An Indonesian passenger ferry fire killed at least five people and injured hundreds more on Sunday, the country's coast guard said. More than 280 others were saved, with many jumping overboard to flee the inferno. The KM Barcelona 5 was en route to Manado, the capital of North Sulawesi province, from Talaud — an island district in the province — when it caught fire in waters near Talise, the Indonesian Maritime Security Agency said. The incident occurred just weeks after at least 19 people were killed when a ferry sank off the popular resort island of Bali. "Five people were reported dead, two of whom have yet to be identified. Meanwhile, 284 people have been evacuated safely," the agency, also known as Bakamla, said in a statement. 21st July,2025

ECUADOR DRUG LORD Adolfo "Fito" Macias, the notorious Ecuadorian drug baron who escaped from jail in 2024 but was recaptured last month, has been extradited to the United States to face trial. 21st July,2025

END GAZA WAR Twenty-five countries, including Britain, France and a host of other European nations, have said that the war in Gaza "must end now." 21st July,2025

FRIENDSHIP TREATY Germany and Britain have signed a landmark friendship treaty, 80 years after the end of World War II. Chancellor Friedrich Merz and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer sealed the agreement — largely negotiated by the previous German government — during a meeting in London on Thursday. The accord — dubbed the "Kensington Treaty" — includes plans for close security and defense cooperation, a mutual assistance clause in crises, and visa simplifications for school exchanges. Critically for the UK, it also features a pledge by Germany to assist in combating illegal immigration. The two countries already signed a defense deal in October, the "Trinity House Agreement" to strengthen their ability to cooperate and conduct exercises on NATO's eastern flank. 17th July,2025

GERMANY REJECTS EU'S €2 TRILLION BUDGET German Finance Minister Lars Klingbeil has rejected the European Commission's proposed long-term EU budget, calling it disproportionate amid economic pressures. Speaking at a G20 finance ministers meeting in Durban, Klingbeil said the €2 trillion plan for 2028–34 — which includes around €700 billion in new spending — would not be appropriate given current strains on national budgets. "We absolutely must remain proportionate regarding the finances. I do not see this as being given," he said. Germany is especially opposed to the commission's proposal for new revenue streams, including a levy on large companies with over €100 million in turnover and a cut of national tobacco tax revenues. Klingbeil said the tax ideas send "the wrong signal" and confirmed Berlin cannot support the tobacco measure. The EU's executive wants to redirect the budget toward defense and competitiveness while introducing new income sources like an e-waste tax. Germany, the EU's largest economy, typically contributes nearly a quarter of the bloc's overall funds. 17th July,2025

GERMAN-UK TIES German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has hailed a "new chapter" in relations between Germany and the United Kingdom, expressing a hope that both countries will "respond together" to challenges facing Europe. Speaking at an Airbus factory in Stevenage, just north of London, after signing a wide-ranging "treaty of friendship" with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, Merz said that security was the "red thread" running through the deal. "The UK – to my deep and continuing regret – left the European Union, Russia is threatening our European security architecture, and our transatlantic relations are changing like never before," he said. "Under these conditions, we want to secure the freedom, security and prosperity of our two countries. We will both do our bit to protect and defend the Euro-Atlantic space. That is the deal we have made today." Merz's trip to the UK came just one week after French President Emmanuel Macron was honored with a state visit to London – and before Macron's trip to Berlin later this year. "We, the E3, the three biggest European countries, are coming closer together," said Merz. "In terms of security, migration and the economy." 17th July,2025

TRUMP SENDING PATRIOT MISSILES US President Donald Trump said Sunday that the United States will send Patriot air defense systems to Ukraine to help it fight Russia's invasion. Speaking to reporters at Joint Base Andrews outside Washington, DC, Trump did not specify how many systems would be sent to Ukraine. "We will send them Patriots, which they desperately need, because Putin really surprised a lot of people. He talks nice and then bombs everybody in the evening. But there's a little bit of a problem there. I don't like it," Trump said. Patriot missile battery firing from an undisclosed location.Patriot missile battery firing from an undisclosed location. Last week, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Ukraine was 'close to reaching a multi-level agreement on new Patriot systems and missiles for them'Image: U.S. Army/ABACAPRESS/picture alliance The announcement comes as Trump has grown increasingly frustrated with Russian President Vladimir Putin and the lack of progress on securing peace in Ukraine. It also comes less than two weeks after the Pentagon said it was pausing some arms shipments to Kyiv, with the White House pointing to dwindling US stockpiles. During the US election campaign before he returned to the White House in January, Trump had promised to end the war in Ukraine. But his attempts to convince Putin to end the war or agree to a ceasefire have so far failed. 14th July,2025

EUROPE WALKS TIGHTROPE Last week, China's Foreign Minister Wang Yi held talks with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on the sidelines of the ASEAN summit in Kuala Lumpur. The meeting between two top diplomats is especially noteworthy due to Rubio being officially sanctioned by Beijing. Before he was tapped by President Donald Trump to become US secretary of state, Rubio had served in the US Senate, where he was a member of the Congressional-Executive Commission on China. The commission is charged with monitoring human rights and the development of the rule of law in China, and submitting an annual report to the US president. Show additional content? This content is part of the text you are currently reading. The provider X / Twitter provides this content and may collect your usage data directly when you click “Show content”. Always show content from X / Twitter. As a member of this body, Rubio sharply criticized the Chinese government for suppressing the democracy movement in Hong Kong, and for drastically restricting civil rights in the western province of Xinjiang. Beijing lambasted what it saw as "interference in internal affairs" and placed Rubio on the sanctions list after the US government imposed punitive measures on Chinese politicians. The current US state secretary faced an entry ban and a freeze of any assets in China. 14th July,2025

AT LEAST 9 KILLED AFTER BRIDGE COLLAPSE Authorities said several vehicles were on the bridge at the time of the collapse. The area has been hit by heavy rains in recent days. At least nine people have been killed after a bridge partially collapsed on Wednesday in Gujarat’s Vadodara district, according to Press Trust of India, who quoted police officials. The area has seen heavy rains over the past few days. Gujarat’s Health Minister Rushikesh Patel said several vehicles were on the bridge when a portion of it collapsed. According to Patel, the bridge was constructed in 1985. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi said the incident was “deeply saddening” and offered condolences to those who died. At least 5 people have been rescued. India’s infrastructure has long raised concerns on its safety. This is the second bridge collapse within a month, after a bridge collapsed in the western city of Pune in June. In 2022, days after reopening, a century-old suspension bridge collapsed in Gujarat killing over 130 people. It had recently undergone renovation work 9th July,2025

IRAN'S KHAMENEI MAKES FIRST APPEARANCE Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei attended a mourning ceremony on Saturday, according to a video carried by state media. This is the first time Khamenei has been seen in public since the 12-day war with Israel, which started on June 13. His absence suggested a heavy security status for Iran's current leader, who has the final say on all matters. 9th July,2025

EUROPE MUST END US DEFENSE 'FREE-RIDE' German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has called for Europe to boost its defense spending and reduce reliance on the United States, warning that American support is no longer guaranteed. Speaking in Berlin, he emphasized the need for strategic independence, resilience against hybrid threats, and long-term support for Ukraine. Germany is targeting 2.4% of its gross domestic product (GDP) on defense-related spending this year and increase it gradually to 3,5% by 2029. Meanwhile, nearly two-thirds of Germans now back the idea of a European nuclear deterrent that doesn't rely on the US, according to a new Forsa poll. Support stands at 64%, with solid backing across age groups, regions, and party lines — something rare in German foreign policy debates. The blog, with major updates from Germany on Monday, June 24th June,2025

ISRAEL DOING 'DIRTY WORK ' The German chancellor's support comes amid fresh strikes launched by both Israel and Iran. Meanwhile, in Gaza, dozens were reported killed near a GHF aid distribution site. Germany's chancellor defended Israel's attacks on Iran, saying it was 'dirty work Israel is doing for all of us' US President Donald Trump says he wants a "real end" to the conflict, rather than a ceasefire Trump seemingly threatens to 'take out' Khamenei if civilians, US soldiers are targeted Israel's defense minister has issued a warning to Iran's supreme leader The IAEA says Israeli strikes have directly hit enrichment halls at the Natanz nuclear complex Israel has reported a fresh wave of Iranian missiles 18th June,2025

ISRAEL'S ECONOMY PROVES RESILIENT DESPITE MULTIPLE CONFLICTS With Israel defending itself on at least two fronts, the country's finances and economy are strained. The government hopes higher taxes can cover some of the bills while its high-tech industry remains a safe investment. https://p.dw.com/p/4w8Gc Drones are seen in a hangar at Israel Aerospace Industries, near Tel Aviv Israel's economy is proving resilient, especially with the backing of its high-tech industry as an economic engineImage: Oded Balilty/AP/picture alliance ADVERTISEMENT War is expensive. Besides causing destruction, personal tragedies and deaths, it costs a lot of money to buy and mobilize equipment. It also costs manpower as Isreal — and its economy — is finding out on multiple fronts. Since the militant islamist group Hamas attacked the Jewish state on October 7, 2023, Israel has been engaged in intense fighting in Gaza. After that, Israel launched airstrikes into Lebanon as retaliation for cross-border Hezbollah missile and drone attacks. Last week, Israel struck deep within Iran with the aim of disabling its nuclear capabilities. 18th June,2025

ITALY'S PECORINO CHEESEMAKERS For negotiators, the pressure to wrap up a deal is enormous. "We'll get this deal done in the best way possible," an EU official told DW on the condition of anonymity. "But it's very clear that not only in the EU institutions, but also around the member states, people just don't want to go through this anymore." "In the volatile world we're in, everyone wants to have reliable trading partners, and the US just isn't that right now," the source added. In the coming days, the G7 and NATO summits in Canada and the Netherlands respectively, might have presented an opportunity for Trump and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen to meet. However, the European Commission said on Thursday that no bilateral meetings were currently planned. "That could still change," Commission spokesperson Miriam Garcia Ferrer told reporters at a briefing in Brussels. 13th June,2025

UKRAINE'S AUDACIOUS DRONE ATTACK It's hard to exaggerate the sheer audacity - or ingenuity - that went into Ukraine's countrywide assault on Russia's air force. We cannot possibly verify Ukrainian claims that the attacks resulted in $7bn (£5.2bn) of damage, but it's clear that "Operation Spider's Web" was, at the very least, a spectacular propaganda coup. Ukrainians are already comparing it with other notable military successes since Russia's full-scale invasion, including the sinking of the flagship of Russia's Black Sea fleet, the Moskva, and the bombing of the Kerch Bridge, both in 2022, as well as a missile attack on Sevastopol harbour the following year. Judging by details leaked to the media by the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU), the latest operation is the most elaborate achievement so far. In an operation said to have taken 18 months to prepare, scores of small drones were smuggled into Russia, stored in special compartments aboard freight trucks, driven to at least four separate locations, thousands of miles apart, and launched remotely towards nearby airbases. 1:28 Watch: Footage shows attack drones homing in on their targets as they sit on the tarmac. "No intelligence operation in the world has done anything like this before," defence analyst Serhii Kuzan told Ukrainian TV. "These strategic bombers are capable of launching long-range strikes against us," he said. "There are only 120 of them and we struck 40. That's an incredible figure." It is hard to assess the damage, but Ukrainian military blogger Oleksandr Kovalenko says that even if the bombers, and command and control aircraft were not destroyed, the impact is enormous. "The extent of the damage is such that the Russian military-industrial complex, in its current state, is unlikely to be able to restore them in the near future," he wrote on his Telegram channel. The strategic missile-carrying bombers in question, the Tu-95, Tu-22, and Tu-160 are, he said, no longer in production. Repairing them will be difficult, replacing them impossible. The loss of the supersonic Tu-160, he said, would be especially keenly felt. "Today, the Russian Aerospace Forces lost not just two of their rarest aircraft, but truly two unicorns in the herd," he wrote. Beyond the physical damage, which may or may not be as great as analysts here are assessing, Operation Spider's Web sends another critical message, not just to Russia but also to Ukraine's western allies. My colleague Svyatoslav Khomenko, writing for the BBC Ukrainian Service website, recalls a recent encounter with a government official in Kyiv. The official was frustrated. "The biggest problem," the official told Svyatoslav, "is that the Americans have convinced themselves we've already lost the war. And from that assumption everything else follows." Ukrainian defence journalist Illia Ponomarenko, posting on X, puts it another way, with a pointed reference to President Volodymyr Zelensky's infamous Oval office encounter with Donald Trump. "This is what happens when a proud nation under attack doesn't listen to all those: 'Ukraine has only six months left'. 'You have no cards'. 'Just surrender for peace, Russia cannot lose'." Ukraine drones strike bombers during major attack in Russia Even more pithy was a tweet from the quarterly Business Ukraine journal, which proudly proclaimed "It turns out Ukraine does have some cards after all. Today Zelensky played the King of Drones." This, then, is the message Ukrainian delegates carry as they arrive in Istanbul for a fresh round of ceasefire negotiations with representatives from the Kremlin: Ukraine is still in the fight. The Americans "begin acting as if their role is to negotiate for us the softest possible terms of surrender," the government official told Svyatoslav Khomenko. "And then they're offended when we don't thank them. But of course we don't – because we don't believe we've been defeated." Despite Russia's slow, inexorable advance through the battlefields of the Donbas, Ukraine is telling Russia, and the Trump administration, not to dismiss Kyiv's prospects so easily. 2nd June,2025

TRUMP'S TARIFFS CAN STAY IN PLACE The latest turn in Trump's tariffs drama saw a federal appeals court reinstate his tariffs plan - after the Court of International Trade on Wednesday ruled that the US president did not have the authority to slap nearly every country with tariffs. The Court of Appeals accepted the White House's appeal to the earlier ruling - the one that requested they halt their tariffs within 10 days - saying that the tariffs plans could remain in place while the court "considers the motions paper". While Trump is yet to directly comment - on the trade court ruling yesterday or the appeals court ruling - one of his top advisors, Peter Navarro, took to the White House driveway to say the administration was prepared to take the case "up the chain of command" after the appeals court if necessary. This would mean asking the Supreme Court to rule on the constitutionality of its tariff plan. Meanwhile, here's a quick reminder of what the markets looked like earlier today, following the trade court's ruling last yesterday: Asia's markets were up, with Japan's Nikkei 225 index up by 1.9%, Hong Kong's Hang Seng by 1.1%, and South Korea's Kospi index by 1.8% When the UK markets opened, the FTSE 100 was up by about 0.3%, but flattened within hours - while the pound was down 0.1% and trading between $1.34 and $1.35 The US markets also opened in positive territory, with the Nasdaq up 1.1%, the Dow Jones rising 0.2%, and S&P 500 gaining about 0.9% And with that, we will be ending our live coverage for the day. If you'd like to keep up with the latest on this story, the following article will be kept up to date: Trump tariffs reinstated as legal battle erupts 30th May,2025

ISLAND EMBODIES BERLIN'S TUMULTUOUS Berlin's Museum Island uniquely encapsulates Germany's modern history — from the ideas of the Enlightenment to the destruction of World War II, from the Cold War era to its current ultra-modern restoration that has turned the ensemble of museums into a tourist magnet. Standing as a testimony to Europe's architectural and cultural developments, the historical complex of museum buildings was recognized by UNESCO in June 1999 as a World Heritage Site , and this year it is celebrating its 200th anniversary since the first building's foundation stone was laid. #DailyDrone: The Museum Island Berlin 01:00 A legacy of the Enlightenment During the Napoleonic Wars (1803–1815), when the French invaded the historic German kingdom of Prussia, many artworks were plundered from its capital, Berlin. When the looted works were returned after the war, Prussian leaders decided to create a museum to showcase the treasures publicly. The Altes Museum (Old Museum) was the first building in the series of five institutions that would later become known as Museum Island. Simply called the "Museum" in its early years, the Altes Museum's foundation stone was laid in 1825, and it opened in 1830. A historic black-and-white illustration from 1885 shows the Altes Museum, part of Berlin's Museum Island, and a treelined park in front of itA historic black-and-white illustration from 1885 shows the Altes Museum, part of Berlin's Museum Island, and a treelined park in front of it A historic illustration from 1885 shows the Altes Museum, the oldest building of Berlin's Museum Island complexImage: imageBROKER/picture alliance At the time, after decades of war, Prussia was economically and financially ruined, "and yet they invested in such a cultural building, hiring the best architect of the time, [Karl Friedrich] Schinkel," Hermann Parzinger, outgoing president of the Prussian Cultural Heritage Foundation, tells DW. It's a fact he particularly likes to point out in the current context, as politicians question the importance of funding culture. Amid the ideals of the Enlightenment, education was recognized as a priority. Thinker and statesman Wilhelm von Humboldt viewed museums as an important pillar of the educational reform he developed. "The museum, as a space of the citizen's aesthetic education, was very important to him," explains Parzinger. "So it was more than just building a museum; there was a vision behind it, and art, together with science, played a very central role." 30th May,2025

TRUMP SAYS PUTIN IS 'CRAZY' AFTER STRIKES Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has said that the Russian army has launched the largest number of drones against Ukrainian cities and communities since the start of the full-scale war. The attack included 355 attack UAVs, mostly "Shaheds," as well as nine cruise missiles. Zelenskyy reported that there had been injuries and damage to civilian infrastructure, and noted that the geography of the strikes extended across northern, central, eastern, and southern Ukraine. He added that it marked the third consecutive night of combined Russian attacks involving both drones and missiles. "Only a sense of total impunity can allow Russia to carry out such strikes and continue increasing their scale," said Zelenskyy. "There is no real military logic to this, but there is significant political meaning." Show additional content? This content is part of the text you are currently reading. The provider X / Twitter provides this content and may collect your usage data directly when you click “Show content”. Always show content from X / Twitter. "In doing this, Putin shows just how much he despises the world — the world that spends more effort on 'dialogue' with him than on real pressure." "Like any criminal, Russia can only be constrained by force. Only through strength — the strength of the United States, of Europe, of all nations that value life — can these attacks be stopped and real peace achieved." Zelenskyy added that the increase in Russian strikes and Moscow's "disregard for diplomacy" should be met with tougher sanctions. 26th May,2025