World | Deutsche Welle

EU seeks ways to make expansion more palatable to members The European Commission has put forward ideas it hopes will both ease the EU expansion process and allay concerns among existing members. Several countries, not least war-torn Ukraine, are among the candidates. France’s conundrum: How to cut spending amid protests Prime Minister Lecornu is pledging to improve schools at a time when the government seeks to save billions. France's dilemma can be seen across the EU: How to cut spending when citizens are demanding more from the state? Paramount and Warner Bros merge into one Hollywood giant Paramount has completed an $81 billion purchase of Warner Bros. Discovery, as its owner Skydance creates a new entertainment behemoth. Billionaire David Ellison's hostile takeover bid defeated rival efforts from Netflix. As more Iranian women reject hijab rules, regime looks at new ways to force compliance As more women in Iran reject rules on wearing hijab headscarves, hardliners are shifting focus from "morality police" street enforcement towards social pressure in workplaces, services and businesses. Tigray war may spill over to Eritrea — helped by Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed's rhetoric Ethiopia's Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed is consolidating power, but he must contend with a regional alliance opposing him and a Tigray conflict that could spill over into Eritrea. Fact check: Misleading claims spark plague fears in Russia The death of a lab worker at a plague research institute in Russia has sparked claims about a lab accident, hundreds of infections and international spread. Some of these viral narratives are misleading. Australia's migrant policy offers lessons for EU and US Australia has used offshore processing centers to deter asylum seekers for more than two decades. As the EU and US pursue similar third-country arrangements, Australia's experience highlights the potential problems. Iran poised to exploit security vacuum as US leaves Iraq The end of the US military mission in Iraq leaves the Kurdistan region facing a severe security vacuum. As Erbil grapples with deep internal divisions, Tehran is well positioned to make strategic gains. Merz, Macron seek tougher EU measures against unfair trade Emmanuel Macron and Friedrich Merz have written to Ursula von der Leyen, calling for tougher EU mechanisms against unfair trade practices by other states. They name no names but seem to have China or the US in mind. What China's new military foothold in Laos means for Southeast Asia Beijing says its new Laos facility will train pilots. Analysts see a broader signal: China's growing military presence in mainland Southeast Asia. Suspected pneumonic plague in Siberia: What we know about the disease A worker at a plague research institute in Siberia has died, and nearly 200 of her contacts are under medical observation. Russian authorities deny a link to the bacterial infection. The US is monitoring the situation. Bosnia election: New steps to prevent electoral fraud, but nationalist parties remain on top New technology has stopped votes being cast on behalf of dead or absent voters, and turnout has fallen to a record low. But it was a case of deja vu in Bosnia's elections with the same parties winning.