World | Deutsche Welle

Who is skipping the UN General Assembly — and why Xi Jinping, Vladimir Putin, Friedrich Merz, Giorgia Meloni and Mahmoud Abbas are among more than 50 leaders who won't make it to the UN General Assembly. Their reasons range from illness and domestic affairs to holidays. Pakistan's jailed former PM Khan's sons told DW the authorities are cracking down ahead of new PTI protests The sons of jailed Pakistani ex-PM Imran Khan told DW their father is in ill health while being isolated from family and doctors. Other relatives have been detained ahead of a planned opposition protest. Slovakia: PM Robert Fico's NATO Article 5 remarks spark criticism and raise questions about his country's NATO commitment Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico says he fears war and will do everything he can to keep his country out of one. Critics say his remarks risk weakening NATO, the alliance that was designed to prevent such a war. As the EU advances free trade with Southeast Asia, why is there no ASEAN-wide deal? After years of arduous negotiations, the EU is closing on a string of bilateral trade deals with countries in Southeast Asia. And yet, a bloc-to-bloc agreement between the EU and ASEAN remains a distant prospect. China's new travel rules unsettle tech giants and talent Beijing is locking the gates to stop expertise and capital in strategic industries from fleeing. The country accused of industrial-scale intellectual property theft now fears the West will take its own. Famine threatens the Ukrainian town of Oleshky in the southern Kherson region as Russia delays creating a humanitarian evacuation corridor Food supplies to the town of Oleshky in the occupied part of the southern Kherson region have been cut off since May. Efforts by Kyiv to negotiate the evacuation of civilians with Moscow have been largely unsuccessful. World lagging on key UN biodiversity targets Hundreds of nations signed on to a goal to protect 30% of the world's land and sea by 2030. As the timeline reaches the halfway point, activists say the current protection estimates are way behind. Is Syria's 'new' economy for the rich only? The Syrian government says it is restructuring the economy and announces prosperity. But ordinary Syrians are not feeling it. In fact, they say their lives are getting worse. Who exactly is likely to benefit then? Military aircraft crashes near US air base in Spangdahlem, Germany The F-16 pilot was able to safely eject from the plane and was taken to receive medical care. The incident occurred near Spangdahlem Air Base in the German state of Rhineland-Palatinate. US-China AI race: Does Trump want to regulate AI by forming a new task force and a special envoy for artificial intelligence in the US? Do Trump's task force and a special envoy for artificial intelligence in the US indicate a move toward regulating this disputed technology, particularly vis-a-vis China? Nepal rejects 'sympathy,' asks for $20 mill after floods With Nepal still reeling from the devastating floods in August, Kathmandu is calling for climate justice and seeking compensation from the UN-backed Loss and Damage Fund, Environment Minister Geeta Chaudhary told DW.