North Korea Drops Reunification, Calls South a Hostile State

North Korea's amended constitution has removed any reference to reunification with South Korea and to a shared Korean national identity, formally framing Seoul as a "hostile state." The changes, which leader Kim Jong Un had signaled at a Supreme People's Assembly in March, are a major policy departure for North Korea, which has technically remained at war with

Spain Returns €55 Million to Shakira

The National Audience court in Madrid has ordered Spain's main tax authority to return €55 million ($64 million) to pop star Shakira, saying the amount was improperly attained during a dispute over her 2011 taxes. Court documents reveal that the decision was reached in mid-April, but first became known to the media on Monday.  What Shakira

Experts: Germany at risk of missing 2030 climate targets

Skip next section Nonpaying long-time hotel guest faces fraud charges May 18, 2026 Nonpaying long-time hotel guest faces fraud charges A 55-year-old man is facing charges of fraud after he spent more than a year in a Berlin hotel without paying. His total bill for the accommodation from April 2023 to August 2024 came to

Reviving Germany’s Crisis-Hit Chemical Sector

Germany's chemical sector stands as a core pillar of the nation's economy, ranking third after automotive and mechanical engineering. It generates hundreds of billions in annual revenue and directly employs about half a million people.   The industry, however, has been beset by crisis in recent years, weighed down by high energy costs, growing regulatory burdens

Atlas Rates Germany as ‘Limited’ in Civic Openness

"The great majority of people in the world cannot raise their hand and speak freely," said Dagmar Pruin, president of Brot für die Welt (Bread of the World), at the presentation of the organization's annual report on the state of civil society and democracy on Monday. "Even in Germany, some narratives are being purposely buried,"

Tiny Elversberg’s Historic Rise to the Bundesliga

Where is Elversberg? Elversberg is a small town north-east of Saarbrücken in the small state of Saarland, south-west Germany. As part of Spiesen-Elversberg, the town has a population of around 13,000 but Elversberg alone has just 7,000 people living in it. There is no train station and just three bakeries.  What is Elversberg's back story?

MV Hondius Returns to Rotterdam After Hantavirus Outbreak

MV Hondius, the cruise ship that sparked global alarm after a deadly hantavirus outbreak, ended its voyage on Monday, with Rotterdam in The Netherlands being its final destination. The vessel docked in the Dutch port shortly after 10 a.m. local time (0800 UTC). Authorities have made quarantine arrangements for the ship's skeleton crew of 27 people —

India rebukes Dutch criticism on minorities and press freedom

Skip next section India purchasing Russian oil, regardless of US sanctions waiver — report May 18, 2026 India purchasing Russian oil, regardless of US sanctions waiver — report Prime Minister Modi recently appealed to Indians to cut down on travel in order to conserve fuelImage: dad fotos/imageBROKER/IMAGO India has indicated that it is purchasing Russian

Why Ebola Remains a Persistent Threat in Africa

The World Health Organization declared a public health emergency of international concern on May 17, 2026, following reports of an outbreak of Ebola, caused by the Bundibugyo virus, in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Uganda. But the WHO said the outbreak did "not meet the criteria of pandemic emergency." This comes just after the

Russian Strikes Hit Dnipro and Odesa; Dozens Injured

Russia launched a fresh wave of drone and missile strikes on cities in Ukraine overnight, local authorities said, with more than 20 people reported injured. Reports of the Russian strikes come after Ukraine launched hundreds of drone strikes over the weekend, in which the Moscow region was targeted. Those strikes in turn came after at least
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