World | Deutsche Welle

Bangladesh sees historic low of women in parliament Despite promises of initiatives to empower women, Bangladesh elected the fewest number of female MPs in 25 years. One of the few new female MPs told DW that female candidates are systemically sidelined. US-Iran nuclear talks open in Geneva amid military posturing Indirect negotiations mediated by Oman have begun in Switzerland. Oman's Foreign Minister Badr Al-Busaidi said both sides had expressed "unprecedented openness to new and creative ideas." Beyond oil and gas: Russia's nuclear leverage explained Russian oil and gas face sanctions, but nuclear energy is another story. DW shows how far Russia's influence extends, and why countries continue to turn to it for nuclear energy. France pushes back against MAGA political meddling A French magistrate recently went public about how US envoys had tried to interfere in French national politics. Experts say it is clear that France is a target of disinformation strategies. Lebanon on edge over potential US strike on Iran While Lebanon's government opposes getting involved, Hezbollah says it would view an attack on Iran's leader as a "red line." Israel, meanwhile, warns Beirut of heavy strikes, leaving Lebanese people fearing a new war. US: Trump administration pauses Minnesota health funds US Vice President JD Vance has announced a halt in Medicaid health payments to Minnesota, a day after President Donald Trump put him in charge of a "war on fraud." North Korea: US relations depend on Washington's attitude North Korean ruler Kim Jong Un said that the ball is in Washington's court when it comes to relations with the United States. However, he added that Pyongyang has "absolutely no business" with South Korea. Sudan: RSF targeted the disabled in el-Fasher, HRW alleges A new Human Rights Watch report accuses the Rapid Support Forces militia in Sudan of intentionally targeting and, in some cases, summarily executing civilians with disabilities during its 2025 takeover of el-Fasher. US-Iran nuclear talks: Deal or military strike? With Washington amassing military force in the Middle East, US and Iranian representatives are again meeting in Geneva on Tehran's nuclear program. Hopes for a breakthrough are slim. Hungary's Orban accuses Kyiv of plotting energy disruption Viktor Orban has escalated a dispute with Ukraine, accusing it of planning to disrupt his country's energy system. But the EU says neither Hungary nor Slovakia is at risk of oil shortages. Nickolay Mladenov: the Bulgarian leading the Board of Peace As director-general of Donald Trump's Board of Peace and High Representative for Gaza, Bulgarian Nickolay Mladenov faces a massive challenge. Who is the man tasked with implementing the US-brokered peace plan for Gaza? Pentagon pressures Anthropic on AI access Anthropic, a much vaunted AI startup, is firmly in the Trump administration's sights. The Pentagon wants complete access to its models, despite safety and ethical concerns.