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Angela Merkel at 65: The definer of an era

Angela Merkel was born on July 17, 1954. She became German chancellor in 2005, fundamentally changing the country. Often praised for her calm demeanor, her time in power has nonetheless been turbulent. Go to article

Von der Leyen voted new EU Commission president 10h ago

German Defense Minister Ursula von der Leyen had faced an uphill battle as a compromise candidate. She won by a slim majority, with 383 out of 747 votes.

Ursula von der Leyen in front of the EU flag (picture-alliance/dpa/F. Seco)

Who is Ursula von der Leyen? 10h ago

German Defense Minister Ursula von der Leyen, a member of Merkel's conservatives, has been confirmed president of the EU Commission. But just who is she? DW profiles the Brussels-born doctor and her time in Berlin.

Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer (picture-alliance/Xinhua/L. Yang)

Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer new German defense minister 8h ago

Kramp-Karrenbauer, Angela Merkel's likely successor, is to become defense minister. Though seen as Merkel's protege, she has struggled to connect with the public.

French Parliament approves Notre Dame restoration bill 3h ago

President Emmanuel Macron succeeded in obtaining a blueprint for Notre Dame's restoration, which could pave the way for his controversial plan to replace the spire with a "modern" design.

World powers call for an end to deadly Libya fighting 6h ago

Libya has been in the midst of a violent power struggle over the past several years (AFP)

Major global and regional powers have urged the warring groups in Libya to stop their bloody fighting, warning that the bloodshed is worsening what’s already a catastrophic humanitarian situation.

Reconstructed remnants of the MH17 plane shot down over Ukraine in 2014 (picture-alliance/AP Photo/P. Dejong)

Flight MH17, five years on: What happens next? 6h ago

In early 2020, following a long international investigation, a Dutch court will seek to prosecute four individuals over the 2014 air disaster that claimed 289 lives. None of the accused are expected at the trial.

MH17 wreck after reconstruction in the Netherlands (Reuters/M. Kooren)

MH17 downing and probe: What you need to know 5h ago

A Boeing 777 passenger jet was destroyed above a Ukraine conflict zone in 2014, with all 298 people on board losing their lives. International investigators blame pro-Russia rebels, and have started naming suspects.

US House condemns Trump's 'racist comments' 3h ago

Combi-Bild Orcasio-Cortez Ilhan Omar Ayanna Pressley Rashida Tlaib

The US House has passed a resolution condemning President Trump for racist comments against four congresswomen. Trump's tweets over the past several days have consumed debate in Washington.

Trump denies wanting Iran regime change 6h ago

US-Präsident Trump und Pompeo in einer Kabinettsitzung (picture-alliance/Consolidated News Photos/O. Contreras)

President Donald Trump says he’s not intent on toppling Iran’s regime to stop it acquiring nuclear arms. His nominee for defense secretary Mark Esper says the US ‘needs to get back on the diplomatic channel.’

Former US Supreme Court Justice John Paul Stevens dies 2h ago

John Paul Stevens receiving the Presidential Medal of Freedom from President Barack Obama

Justice John Paul Stevens served on the Supreme Court from 1975 to 2010. He began his career as a non-partisan moderate, but from the 1990s and onwards, he led the court's liberal block.

No charges in 'I can't breathe' death of black man 5h ago

New York Gedenkplakat Eric Garner Michael Brown (Spencer Platt/Getty Images)

The Justice Department will not file charges against a police officer who put Eric Garner in a deadly chokehold. Garner's 2014 death and other cases of police brutality gave rise to the Black Lives Matter movement.

Ex-Peruvian President Alejandro Toledo arrested in US 7m ago

Ex-Peru President Alejandro Toledo (AFP/M. Ngan)

Former Peruvian President Alejandro Toledo is wanted in his home country for corruption in connection with the sprawling Odebrecht scandal.

Facebook's Libra cryptocurrency stirs criticism, privacy concerns 11h ago

US lawmakers from across the spectrum grilled Facebook on its cryptocurrency plans on Tuesday (picture-alliance/dpa/F. Sommer)

US lawmakers have grilled Facebook on its ambitious plan to create a financial ecosystem based on a digital currency called Libra. The project is viewed with skepticism in many countries, including Germany.

Lagarde steps down as IMF chief, ready for ECB 9h ago

Christine Lagarde announced on Tuesday she had submitted her resignation from the global lender (Getty Images/S. Loeb)

Christine Lagarde has stepped down as managing director of the International Monetary Fund, saying she now has more clarity on her nomination to be the next head of the European Central Bank.

French environment minister resigns over lavish lifestyle claims 13h ago

Francois de Rugy has said that the allegations meant he was no longer able to carry out his job properly. The resignation heaps further pressure on President Emmanuel Macron's government, which critics say is elitist.

HIV-related deaths down a third since 2010

The United Nations has said HIV-related deaths dropped 33% since 2010, but warned that more funding is needed to control the spread of the disease. The Middle East and eastern Europe have seen infection levels rise.

Italy's far-right Salvini moves to round up Roma, Sinti 13h ago

Interior Minister Salvini has asked regional officials to draw up maps of "illegal settlements." Non-Italians are to be sent back to their countries of origin.

Child soldiers used in Yemen civil war, report says 14h ago

All sides of the conflict are responsible for using children in battle, a new report says. Since 2012, when the civil war in Yemen begun, at least 70,000 people have been killed.

Perspectives

Ursula von der Leyen addressing the EU Parliament ahead of her election as European Commission president (Reuters/V. Kessler)

Von der Leyen a sound choice in turbulent times 7h ago

A surprise choice, her stellar speech and a lack of alternatives won MEPs over, says DW Editor-in-Chief Ines Pohl.

Child soldiers used in Yemen civil war, report says

German woman tries to buy car with cash she printed at home

MH17 downing and probe: What you need to know

French Parliament approves Notre Dame restoration bill

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Woman tries to buy car with fake money

A German woman's plan to save money on a car backfired after the dealership noticed something wasn't quite right.

Pictureteaser 50 Jahre Mondlandung EN (picture-alliance/dpa/NASA/N. Armstrong)

A solider with a weapon stands before a Turkish oil ship (picture-alliance/AP Photo/L. Pitarakis)

Turkey, Cyprus and gas deposits: What you need to know

A storm may be brewing off the coast of Cyprus in the Mediterranean Sea: Turkey has sent two drilling ships to waters claimed by Cyprus and the EU has announced sanctions. DW takes a look at how the situation escalated.

Full moon in the night sky (picture-alliance/Arco Images/B. Lamm)

7 fun facts about the moon

50 years ago humans landed on the moon for the first time. To celebrate, we dug up seven unusual pieces of lunar trivia.

The Parkes Radio Telescope in Australia. It helped receive film footage of the first moon landing in 1969 (Getty Images/I. Waldie)

When the US landed on the moon, so did the world

It was an American mission to land on the moon. But it would have been impossible without the rest of the world. The Apollo program relied on a global network of tracking stations and their engineers.

Seven things you must know about flying

As summer comes around, holidaymakers pack their suitcases and jet off abroad — often in search of warmer temperatures. But those flights heat the planet. What are the costs of flying?

Magdalena Adamowicz in the European Parliament in Brussels

Polish mayor's widow fights hate that killed her husband

Her husband was assassinated as mayor of Gdansk. Now Magdalena Adamowicz, a newly elected member of the European Parliament, has taken up the fight against hate speech that threatens both public discourse and lives.