Merkel’s book, Merkel’s mission, Merkel’s world – DW – 11/25/2024

Angela Merkel’s book will be launched with fanfare in the West but also in China. Tickets for Tuesday evening’s initial presentation of the former German chancellor’s 736-page opus at the Deutsches Theater in Berlin sold out online within minutes of going on sale a few weeks ago. Merkel’s “Freedom: Memoirs 1954-2021” looks back on her … Read more

Justice eludes victims of sexual violence: 1% of rape cases in France ‘result in a conviction’

An unprecedented mass rape trial in France has moved into a new phase with prosecutors beginning to lay out the verdicts and punishments they want for dozens of men accused of raping Gisèle Pelicot while she was drugged and rendered unconscious by her husband. As public prosecutors begin the sentencing phase, focusing on Dominique Pelicot, … Read more

Hong Kong’s largest digital bank now allows bitcoin trading

ZA Bank, Hong Kong’s largest digital bank, has taken a step into cryptocurrency trading through a partnership with exchange HashKey, with the aim of offering access to digital assets to retail users. According to the entity’s representatives, this makes them “the first bank in Asia to offer this service.” The news was shared on the … Read more

DHL cargo plane crashes near Vilnius airport in Lithuania – DW – 11/25/2024

A cargo plane flying on behalf of German logistics company DHL crashed near Vilnius International Airport in Lithuania early on Monday, killing at least one person, according to Lithuanian officials. The person deceased was confirmed by Lithuanian police to be a Spanish national and member of the flight crew, although not one of the pilots. … Read more

‘World needs to wake up’: War, famine ravages Sudan, as world ‘sits & waits for people to make peace’

Since April 2023, war has pitted Sudan’s armed forces against the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), killing tens of thousands of people and uprooting more than 11 million. The NRC warns humanitarian aid is only “delaying deaths”. As war-torn Sudan is on a “countdown to famine” ignored by world leaders, FRANCE 24’s Gavin Lee is … Read more

In election shock, Romanian far-right NATO critic set to contest presidential run-off

A hard-right critic of NATO who has praised Russia is set to face a center-right opposition leader in a presidential election run-off in Romania that could undermine its pro-Western stance after a shock outcome in the first-round vote. The outcome was a huge shock as pre-election opinion polls had made Social Democrat Prime Minister Marcel … Read more

China discovers giant gold reserve, as bitcoin shortage becomes increasingly prominent

1,000 tons of gold were found, increasing the global supply of the yellow metal, The discovery highlights the importance of bitcoin as a secure store of value. China has discovered a huge gold deposit with reserves estimated at more than 1,000 tons, as reported by the Geological Bureau of Hunan province, in the center of … Read more

German business confidence falls more than expected – DW – 11/25/2024

Confidence in the German business world fell further than expected in November, compounding the economic outlook in a country poised to be the most sluggish performer in the Group of Seven (G7) this year. According to Munich’s Ifo Institute for Economic Research, Germany’s rating on its business climate index slumped from 86.5 in October to … Read more