German News

Lagos is poised to become the world’s biggest city. The Nigerian megacity is a massive experiment – unregulated and wild, with endless traffic jams, waterfront slums and an impressively resilient population. from DER SPIEGEL - International https://ift.tt/3CW8nDC via IFTTT

The jury for the 2021 Social Design Award has sorted through the submissions and selected 10 fantastic ideas. You can vote for your favorite between now and Oct. 11. from DER SPIEGEL - International https://ift.tt/2ZH7FvM via IFTTT

The Green Party and the business-friendly Free Democrats plan to hold exploratory talks with each other before meeting with the main chancellor candidates in the coming days. They appear to be worlds apart but are already finding some common ground. from DER SPIEGEL - International https://ift.tt/3zNEgMS via IFTTT

The right-wing populist party AfD sought to paper over its deep split between the moderate and extremist wings for the campaign. Now that the party won fewer votes than expected, that divide is once again front and center. from DER SPIEGEL - International https://ift.tt/3kLWidW via IFTTT

Armin Laschet, the chancellor candidate from Angela Merkel's CDU, refuses to accept his defeat. In his world, he can still become Germany's next leader. from DER SPIEGEL - International https://ift.tt/3m4cl6q via IFTTT

As expected, German voters declined to choose a clear victor on Sunday, setting the stage for a difficult search for a governing coalition. Angela Merkel's CDU suffered an abysmal result while the Social Democrats have new life. Ultimately, though, two other parties will play kingmaker. from DER SPIEGEL - International https://ift.tt/3kLPCMW via IFTTT

A man arrested for shooting and killing a 20-year-old gas station cashier last week appears to have been influenced by far-right ideologies and conspiracy theories. Security officials worry that a scene that denies the coronavirus is growing increasingly radical. from DER SPIEGEL - International https://ift.tt/3zEgrXu via IFTTT

China presents a significant threat, believes former Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd. Which is why, he says, the West must work together rather than engage in the kind of bickering triggered by the recent submarine deal between Australia and the United States. from DER SPIEGEL - International https://ift.tt/3EOzL8d via IFTTT

This spring, the Green Party was soaring in the polls and it even looked as though their candidate, Annalena Baerbock, could become chancellor. But then, it all fell apart. What happened? from DER SPIEGEL - International https://ift.tt/3o0taSr via IFTTT

Christoph Heusgen served for 12 years as Angela Merkel’s top foreign policy adviser. In an interview, he speaks about the chancellor’s successes, mistakes, the amateurish nature of Donald Trump’s government and the right approach to an ascendant China. from DER SPIEGEL - International https://ift.tt/3CIN2O3 via IFTTT

The berry market has transformed Portugal as plantations have sprung up in recent years. Conditions for workers are problematic and an already dry region is quickly using up its water supplies. from DER SPIEGEL - International https://ift.tt/3ks8CQB via IFTTT

Germany pledged it would continue rescuing former local hires from Afghanistan, even after the airlift from Kabul ended. Yet despite the grave danger they are in, Berlin is failing to help them. from DER SPIEGEL - International https://ift.tt/3hDW8mY via IFTTT

Bulgaria has significant problems with corruption and money laundering. Nevertheless, the European Union is prepared to accept the country as the next member of the eurozone. Many fear that might be a bad idea. from DER SPIEGEL - International https://ift.tt/2XnWua3 via IFTTT

A private initiative wants to use modern genetic engineering to reintroduce the extinct woolly mammoth to the tundra of Siberia. In an interview, evolutionary biologist Victoria Herridge criticizes the endeavor and says we should instead focus on saving endangered species. from DER SPIEGEL - International https://ift.tt/3zgQ2ij via IFTTT

Angela Merkel's conservatives could be facing an historical debacle at the polls in this year's election. Their candidate, Armin Laschet, has been anything but inspiring, and his stumbles could have deep consequences for the stability of German politics. from DER SPIEGEL - International https://ift.tt/3hBl0vE via IFTTT

As winter approaches, experts are concerned that more contagious variants of the coronavirus could emerge. Measure to prevent the spread of the virus, they say, will be with us for a long time to come. from DER SPIEGEL - International https://ift.tt/3nAN1Y8 via IFTTT

Khalid al-Halabi is thought to have been responsible for the torturing of Syrian opposition activists. Despite efforts to bring him to justice, he has been living in freedom in Austria for years – protected by the country's intelligence agency. from DER SPIEGEL - International https://ift.tt/3tDFBnP via IFTTT

A consortium led by Germany's Siemens has been awarded a contract to build a high-speed rail network in the Middle East. The deal is good for Egypt, Germany and Europe – and it shows that the West can still compete against China. from DER SPIEGEL - International https://ift.tt/3EbQ3YG via IFTTT

In an interview, BioNTech founders Uğur Şahin and Özlem Türeci explain why booster shots are needed to combat the Delta variant of the coronavirus, and they say that a vaccine for five- to 11-year-old children is on its way. from DER SPIEGEL - International https://ift.tt/38XhxTm via IFTTT

Only 2 percent of the 1.3 billion people who live in Africa have been vaccinated. Yet there are plenty of surplus doses in wealthy countries. Fair distribution has been little more than an illusion so far. from DER SPIEGEL - International https://ift.tt/3E2xrdv via IFTTT

A planned dam in China's Red River Valley would have destroyed the habitat of an endangered bird. But a 31-year-old biology student stood up to the authorities and managed to block the project. How did he do it? from DER SPIEGEL - International https://ift.tt/3nhChOi via IFTTT

It has been a bad summer for wildfires in Europe, and all signs point to more bad summers to come. Many countries are trying out new approaches to lower the fire danger, but not all of them are high-tech. Catalonia, for example, is turning to livestock. from DER SPIEGEL - International https://ift.tt/38TcMu8 via IFTTT

The U.S. invaded Afghanistan in 2001 to defeat the Taliban. Now that President Joe Biden has withdrawn the troops, he is relying on the Taliban to hold Afghanistan together and prevent it from becoming a playground for terrorists. from DER SPIEGEL - International https://ift.tt/3yW37xs via IFTTT

Angela Merkel's 16 years as German chancellor have been characterized by crisis after crisis, most of them global in nature. Her intellect has been a critical tool in addressing those challenges, but her follow through left a lot to be desired. from DER SPIEGEL - International https://ift.tt/2YrvRS5 via IFTTT

The war on terror has failed, former FBI intelligence officer Ali Soufan argues in an interview. He believes that the hasty U.S. withdrawal will unleash a wave of fear and strengthen extremists around the world. from DER SPIEGEL - International https://ift.tt/2WWLws8 via IFTTT

Germany's Social Democrats appear to be rising from the dead as the general election approaches. In Olaf Scholz, the party has found a candidate whose leadership style could be a lot like Angela Merkel's. from DER SPIEGEL - International https://ift.tt/38JJhdX via IFTTT

AI is helping researchers, urban planners, activists and even companies prevent damage to the climate. Algorithms can be used to detect forest destruction, reduce emissions – or even eavesdrop on animals in the ocean. from DER SPIEGEL - International https://ift.tt/3gTJAHE via IFTTT

The Deutsche bank subsidiary DWS claims to be a pioneer in green investment. But is it? DER SPIEGEL spoke with former DWS executive Desiree Fixler, whose accusations against the company have led to an official investigation. from DER SPIEGEL - International https://ift.tt/3yDKJcu via IFTTT

As Greek finance minister, he made a name for himself for standing up to Germany. But his political star burned out quickly. Now, Yanis Varoufakis is trying his luck at writing novels. from DER SPIEGEL - International https://ift.tt/3kGaaW2 via IFTTT