DEUTSCHE WELLE

Jun 7, 2026, 08:12 AM

Kosovo is holding a snap parliamentary election — its third in under 16 months — after a prolonged political stalemate between Prime Minister Albin Kurti and former President Vjosa Osmani. The political crisis has weakened an already fragile economy and stalled progress on EU integration and the dialogue with Serbia. Voters are going to the polls in hopes of ending the deadlock.

Jun 7, 2026, 06:58 AM

Armenia is holding an election on June 7 that will serve as a referendum on the country's geopolitical orientation, with the population increasingly favouring closer ties with the EU over its longstanding alliance with Russia. The vote tests how far public opinion has shifted in a country once considered a reliable Moscow ally. A pro-EU result would represent a major geopolitical realignment in the South Caucasus.

Jun 7, 2026, 06:38 AM

Ethiopia's ruling Prosperity Party is expected to secure a decisive victory when election results are announced. The vote was marred by security challenges in conflict-affected areas, a fragmented opposition and the exclusion of entire regions from participating. The outcome is likely to confirm the political status quo under Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed.

Jun 6, 2026, 01:16 PM

The Ukrainian city of Oleshky has been under Russian occupation since 2022, leaving many residents cut off from the outside world and facing dire humanitarian conditions including food shortages. The Ukrainian government is seeking to evacuate residents trapped in the occupied zone. The situation illustrates the severe civilian toll of Russia's occupation of Ukrainian territory.

Jun 6, 2026, 06:33 AM

Peru is holding a presidential runoff between Keiko Fujimori and Roberto Sanchez, marking ten years of intense political instability. The vote takes place against a backdrop of social tension, rising crime and deep public distrust in political institutions. The outcome will shape Peru's direction after a turbulent decade of presidential scandals and frequent leadership changes.

Jun 6, 2026, 06:15 AM

Iraq faces its annual summer electricity crisis as extreme heat and a strained grid threaten widespread blackouts. Despite being ideally positioned for solar energy, the Iraqi government has only recently begun to take renewable power seriously. The article examines the obstacles to solar adoption and why past crises failed to prompt earlier action.

Jun 5, 2026, 04:00 PM

Health workers responding to the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo are facing a second crisis: widespread disinformation and rumours that are deterring communities from seeking care and cooperating with containment efforts. The patterns of health misinformation are familiar from previous outbreaks and could be addressed with targeted communication strategies. Analysts warn that failure to counter disinformation will undermine the overall response.

Jun 5, 2026, 03:25 PM

North Korea has been steadily accelerating its nuclear weapons programme while Washington's focus has been occupied by other crises. Kim Jong Un recently conducted a high-profile tour of a new nuclear fuel facility and pledged to build additional nuclear weapons. Analysts warn that the incremental build-up poses a growing long-term threat to regional security.

Jun 5, 2026, 02:55 PM

Kosovo's third election in under 16 months is placing a heavy burden on the country's already fragile finances. The vote is overshadowed by a personal clash between Prime Minister Albin Kurti and former President Vjosa Osmani, a deadlock in the dialogue with Serbia, and stalled EU integration prospects. The repeated polls are deepening economic uncertainty and political fatigue among voters.

Jun 5, 2026, 01:24 PM

One hundred days after the outbreak of the Iran war, the Islamic Republic projects outward stability but faces mounting internal pressures including economic deterioration, social unrest and increasing state repression. Analysts argue that surface-level cohesion masks structural vulnerabilities in the regime. The article examines the gap between official messaging and the lived experience of ordinary Iranians.

Jun 5, 2026, 01:19 PM

The US Senate voted 52-47 to pass a $70 billion funding bill for Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Border Patrol, financing the agencies through the remainder of Donald Trump's presidential term. The legislation must still pass the House, where a vote is expected the following week. The bill represents a major boost for Trump's immigration enforcement agenda.

Jun 5, 2026, 11:25 AM

Slovenia's veteran political figure Janez Jansa has returned to lead a new coalition government after years in opposition. Critics warn his administration is already advancing divisive policies that risk deepening political polarisation in the country. The comeback raises questions about Slovenia's democratic trajectory and its relationship with European institutions.

Apr 26, 2026, 05:25 PM

Russia and North Korea signed a long-term military cooperation agreement during a high-level visit by Russia's defense minister and Duma chair to Pyongyang. The visit included the inauguration of a memorial to North Korean soldiers who died fighting alongside Russian forces in Ukraine.

Apr 26, 2026, 03:54 PM

Suspected guerrillas killed 19 people in a bomb attack on the Pan-American Highway in southwest Colombia, the latest in a wave of violence striking the region in the days before Colombia's presidential election. The attacks have raised serious concerns about security ahead of the vote.

Apr 26, 2026, 02:38 PM

A court in Damascus opened the first trial of officials from Bashar al-Assad's former government, with one defendant present and several others, including Assad himself and his brother, tried in absentia. The proceedings mark a historic step toward accountability in post-Assad Syria.

Apr 26, 2026, 12:14 AM

Forty years after the Chernobyl nuclear disaster, the city of Pripyat — once home to 50,000 residents — remains an abandoned ghost town. A DW report visits the site with a former resident, capturing both the eerie silence of the ruins and the lasting human impact of the catastrophe.

Apr 25, 2026, 10:28 PM

Palestinians voted in municipal elections held in the Israeli-occupied West Bank and in one city in Gaza, marking the first elections since the outbreak of the Gaza war. The vote excluded Hamas and other armed factions, raising questions about its representativeness.

Apr 25, 2026, 04:31 PM

During a state visit to the United States, King Charles is being deployed by the British government to help repair the strained 'special relationship' between the UK and the US under Trump. The visit underscores how Britain is leveraging its monarchy to maintain diplomatic ties with Washington.

Apr 25, 2026, 10:58 AM

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced Ukraine's readiness to hold peace talks with Russia in Azerbaijan, while Russian attacks continued to kill civilians across Ukraine. The offer comes amid ongoing international efforts to broker a ceasefire.

Apr 25, 2026, 09:05 AM

Tunisian authorities ordered one of Africa's oldest human rights organizations to suspend its activities for one month, amid growing concerns that the country is sliding toward authoritarian rule under President Kais Saied. Critics say the move is part of a pattern of widening repression.

Apr 25, 2026, 04:46 AM

Colombia and Venezuela announced a military cooperation agreement to combat border criminal organizations during Colombian President Gustavo Petro's visit to Caracas. The talks are notable as Petro was the first foreign leader to visit Venezuela since the end of Nicolas Maduro's latest presidential term.

Apr 24, 2026, 06:52 PM

The US Justice Department has dropped its investigation into Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell, clearing a major obstacle to the appointment of Kevin Warsh — Trump's preferred successor — as head of the central bank.

Apr 24, 2026, 05:37 PM

Ukrainian President Zelenskyy continued his diplomatic push in Saudi Arabia after securing an EU loan, while the Kremlin signalled that Putin may attend the G20 summit in Miami in December, adding uncertainty to Ukraine peace talks.

Apr 24, 2026, 03:03 PM

While the US signals a desire to negotiate, Iran is playing for time — banking on global dependence on Persian Gulf energy exports and the strategic leverage of the Strait of Hormuz to extract maximum concessions.

Apr 24, 2026, 01:24 PM

Thousands of Indian workers have been forced to leave their jobs in Gulf states and return home as the Iran war disrupts the region's economy, with ripple effects now being felt across India itself.

Apr 24, 2026, 09:07 AM

A large chunk of ice suspended above the Khumbu Icefall near Everest Base Camp is blocking both climbers and the specialist icefall doctors who clear the route, halting spring ascents for a large group of mountaineers.

Apr 24, 2026, 03:46 AM

Prosecutors allege that a US soldier used classified information about the Maduro raid to place winning bets on the prediction market Polymarket, raising fresh concerns about insider trading on political prediction platforms.

Apr 23, 2026, 07:53 PM

France and the UK are leading efforts to establish a multinational naval mission to safeguard shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, though questions remain about the mission's scope and whether it can bring lasting stability.

Apr 23, 2026, 06:09 PM

With no fixed ceasefire deadline, the US and Iran are each manoeuvring to protect their interests. DW analyses the key sticking points and strategic calculations shaping the next phase of the conflict.

Apr 23, 2026, 05:40 PM

Analysts warn that while the Iran war has temporarily delayed an escalation in Ethiopia-Eritrea tensions, renewed armed conflict between the two countries cannot be ruled out.

Apr 23, 2026, 03:33 PM

The British government is investigating how the health data of 500,000 people who volunteered it to the UK Biobank charity ended up listed for sale by three vendors on Alibaba's Chinese e-commerce platform.

Apr 23, 2026, 01:45 PM

For the first time, representatives from both sides of Libya's political divide are participating together in Flintlock, a US-led multinational military exercise, raising cautious hopes for eventual reunification.

Apr 23, 2026, 01:05 PM

The US naval blockade is designed to squeeze the Iranian regime, but it is ordinary Iranians who bear the brunt — living with growing scarcity, economic exhaustion and an ever-present sense of fear.

Apr 23, 2026, 12:38 PM

During a tour of four African countries, Pope Leo XIV called for peace, unity and dialogue, criticising war, corruption and inequality and urging leaders to prioritise the welfare of their people.

Belgian diplomat faces trial over 1961 DR Congo leader killing

Mar 17, 2026, 06:37 PM

Etienne Davignon, the sole surviving suspect in the 1961 assassination of Congolese independence leader Patrice Lumumba, has been ordered to stand trial in Belgium on war crimes charges. The case marks a landmark moment in Belgium's long-delayed reckoning with its colonial past in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Lumumba was killed shortly after Congolese independence, and the trial represents one of the first judicial attempts to hold Belgian officials accountable for their role in the murder.

Mar 17, 2026, 06:16 PM

Eighteen days into the conflict, Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps continues to function despite suffering significant military setbacks. Its decentralised command structure has enabled operations to persist even under heavy pressure. Analysts, however, detect mounting signs of strain within Iran's power structures that could signal deeper instability ahead.

Vatican declares partial mistrial in cardinal's fraud case

Mar 17, 2026, 05:47 PM

A Vatican appeals court has partially overturned the conviction of Cardinal Angelo Becciu in a major fraud case, in what marks a significant development in the Holy See's landmark financial trial. Becciu had been sentenced to five and a half years in prison in one of the most high-profile criminal proceedings ever held inside Vatican City. The partial mistrial ruling raises fresh questions about the case's ultimate outcome and the Vatican's ongoing efforts to clean up its finances.

Starmer urges allies to keep focus on Ukraine amid Iran war

Mar 17, 2026, 04:45 PM

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer met Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in London, urging Western allies not to let the Iran conflict divert attention from the war in Ukraine. The two leaders announced a new bilateral defence partnership, with the UK pledging support for an AI centre in Kyiv. Starmer's visit underscores growing concerns in European capitals that the Iran war could crowd out diplomatic and military resources dedicated to Ukraine.

Iran war overlaps with Afghanistan-Pakistan conflict

Mar 17, 2026, 04:11 PM

Pakistan has launched airstrikes on Afghan territory, including the strategically significant Bagram Airfield, effectively declaring open war on the Taliban government. The escalation marks a dangerous new phase in Pakistan-Afghanistan tensions, with Islamabad now engaged in an active military confrontation along its western border. This crisis is unfolding simultaneously with the broader war involving Iran, compounding regional instability across South Asia and the Middle East.

Northern Ireland's Gerry Adams tells court he wasn't in IRA

Mar 17, 2026, 03:24 PM

Former Sinn Féin leader Gerry Adams appeared before London's High Court, where he denied ever being a member of the Irish Republican Army (IRA). Adams is accused of bearing responsibility for IRA bomb attacks carried out in England. He described IRA members as his "neighbours," insisting he had no formal role in the organisation.

Mar 17, 2026, 07:48 AM

A series of suicide bombings killed at least 23 people in Maiduguri, the capital of Nigeria's Borno state, a region long plagued by Boko Haram and ISWAP insurgencies. The attacks followed an assault on a military post the previous Sunday night. The violence underscores the persistent jihadist threat in Nigeria's northeast.

400 killed in Pakistani strike on Kabul hospital: Taliban

Mar 17, 2026, 03:44 AM

The Taliban government in Afghanistan claimed that a Pakistani airstrike on a drug rehabilitation facility in Kabul killed at least 400 people. Pakistan rejected the accusation, insisting its forces targeted military installations, not civilian infrastructure. The incident marks a severe escalation in the already tense relations between Islamabad and Kabul.

Mar 16, 2026, 05:20 PM

The Trump administration is pressing European allies to take on a greater role in securing the Strait of Hormuz amid rising tensions in the Gulf, but EU member states are reluctant to commit. Meanwhile, soaring energy prices triggered by regional instability are providing a windfall for Russia, undermining Ukraine and its European backers. The divergence highlights deepening transatlantic rifts over burden-sharing and energy security.

Mar 16, 2026, 05:20 PM

The Trump administration is pressing European allies to take on a greater role in securing the Strait of Hormuz as tensions in the Gulf escalate. The EU, however, is reluctant to commit, wary of being drawn into a US-led military posture in the region. Meanwhile, Russia is capitalising on rising energy prices triggered by the tensions, dealing a further economic blow to Ukraine and its European supporters.

Court rejects move to indict Valencia leader over flood response

Mar 16, 2026, 04:36 PM

A Spanish court has rejected a bid to indict Carlos Mazón, president of the Valencia regional government, over his handling of devastating floods in late October 2024 that killed more than 200 people. Mazón had faced intense public and political scrutiny for the regional authorities' slow response to the disaster. The ruling provides him with a legal reprieve, though political pressure over the tragedy is unlikely to subside.

China: 'Ethnic unity' law sparks fears of forced integration

Mar 16, 2026, 03:49 PM

China has introduced a new "ethnic unity" law that critics warn grants Beijing broader powers to label minority groups' demands for cultural autonomy as "separatism." Rights advocates and analysts fear the legislation will be used to suppress the distinct identities of Tibetans, Uyghurs and other ethnic minorities. The law is seen as an extension of China's ongoing push to consolidate political and cultural control over its diverse population.

Africa: What oil producers can do to counter price shocks

Mar 16, 2026, 02:00 PM

As conflict in the Middle East threatens global oil supplies, questions are being raised about whether African oil producers like Nigeria and Angola could ramp up production to ease the shortfall. Experts say that while some capacity exists, logistical and infrastructural constraints may limit how quickly these countries can respond. The situation highlights Africa's potential strategic role in stabilising global energy markets during geopolitical crises.

Mar 16, 2026, 01:45 PM

Menaka Guruswamy, a renowned Indian lawyer, has become the country's first openly queer member of parliament, representing West Bengal. She has pledged to champion the values of equality, fraternity and non-discrimination. Her election marks a historic milestone for LGBTQ+ representation in Indian politics.

Mar 16, 2026, 01:08 PM

The United States is reportedly redeploying Patriot and THAAD air defense batteries from South Korea to the Middle East, raising concerns in Seoul about reduced protection on the peninsula. The move comes amid ongoing provocations from North Korea, which continues to test missiles and engage in military posturing. South Korean officials and analysts worry the redeployment could create a window of vulnerability at a particularly sensitive moment.

Azerbaijan: Frenchman sentenced to 10 years for spying

Mar 16, 2026, 10:36 AM

A French citizen named Martin Ryan has been sentenced to 10 years in prison by an Azerbaijani court after pleading guilty to some charges of collecting intelligence on behalf of France. The verdict is the latest flashpoint in the increasingly strained diplomatic relationship between Paris and Baku. France has been critical of Azerbaijan over the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, while Azerbaijan has accused France of interference in the region.