World | Deutsche Welle

Syria: Court charges Bashar Assad's cousin Atef Najib with war crimes amid 2011 uprising Syria's judiciary has charged Atef Najib with acts "amounting to war crimes" as Bashar Assad's cousin is accused of orchestrating a crackdown on 2011 protests that subsequently degenerated into a decade of civil war. RSF urges Niger to ditch 'abusive' French media ban Media watchdog Reporters Without Borders has called on Niger's Russian-backed military government to lift its sudden suspension of nine French media outlets. This coincides with major instability in neighboring Mali. Africa summit in Kenya: France seeks new partners Following a withdrawal from the Sahel region, France is seeking to expand its geostrategic influence in Africa by seeking allies. The first Africa Summit, to be held May 11–12 in Kenya, is intended to mark a fresh start. 'No comment' after Schröder named by Putin for Ukraine talks Russian President Vladimir Putin suggested that the former German chancellor serve as a mediator in Russia-Ukraine peace talks. The weaponization of shipping channels The crisis around the Strait of Hormuz focused attention on other maritime chokepoints. Experts warn that waterways like the Taiwan Strait or the Strait of Malacca are increasingly being used as geopolitical leverage. Greek minister says mystery drone from a 'foreign state' A Greek military source said the flying robot, found this week off the island of Lefkada, may have been Ukrainian. Kyiv has admitted using drones to target Russian oil tankers in the Mediterranean. Putin says he thinks Ukraine war is 'coming to an end' The Russian president made the remarks as Moscow and Kyiv observe a three-day ceasefire in their four-year conflict. Tariffs or not? How EU is dealing with US 'dealmaking' Earlier this week, President Trump threatened European car makers with 25% tariffs before walking it back later in the week. How is the EU dealing with this unpredictability? Eurovision 2026: Politics collide with a blockbuster show Controversy over Israel's participation and boycotts unprecedented in scale are already weighing on the Eurovision Song Contest before it even kicks off in Vienna. Pakistan: Drop in Gulf remittances puts families on edge For millions of households, money sent by Pakistani workers in the Gulf offers a lifeline, helping their families cover basic needs such as food and education. US: Pentagon releases trove of classified UFO files US President Donald Trump hailed his government's move to release over a 100 UFO-related documents as "complete and maximum transparency." How real is a coup threat against Russia's president? Increased security around Vladimir Putin and a scaling back of public appearances have given rise to suspicions of a coup or assassination attempt. Yet some observers remain skeptical.