World

Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine on the European Union's eastern flank, the United States' disregard and contempt for the international order under President Donald Trump, and the allegations that Israel has violated humanitarian law in the Middle East conflict have shocked many Europeans. The world order that took shape after World War II appears to have come to an end. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz stated at the Munich Security Conference in February 2026: "This order, as imperfect as it was even in its best days, no longer exists in that form."  However, in Asia, political observers are often surprised at the consternation of some Europeans. During the Shangri-La Dialogue, an annual Asian security conference held in Singapore, former Singaporean diplomat Bilahari Kausikan...

Semyon Skrepezki was shot dead near his Biala Podlaska apartment on June 15 around 9:50 a.m., according to the Lublin prosecutor's office. Three of the five shots were fired after Skrepezki had already collapsed on the ground. He died at the scene. The perpetrator fled but was apprehended three days later. Five shell casings and a nine millimeter Luger bullet were found at the crime scene. This is the same ammunition that was used in the 2019 killing of Chechen field commander Zelimkhan Khangoshvili in Berlin. Maxim Kusminov, a Russian helicopter pilot who defected to Ukraine, was also shot and killed with a weapon of the same caliber in 2024, reports independent Russian news outlet Agentstwo. A politically motivated murder? Skrepezki's suspected killer was arrested near the Polish capi...

On Wednesday evening, the US and Iran signed the so-called "Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding," extending a ceasefire and kicking off a 60-day phase of technical talks during which the key points of contention are to be resolved. The signing was originally scheduled for Friday in Switzerland, but pressure had grown following days of speculation about the details of the agreement. Trump signed the document at the Palace of Versailles outside of Paris after attending the G7 summit hosted by France on Lake Geneva. Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian signed it digitally from Tehran. "There appears to be political will on both sides to continue negotiations, which is encouraging," Middle East analyst Fatemeh Aman told DW. "At the same time, the most difficult questions have not yet been ...

It's not the first time the Swiss resort of Bürgenstock is playing host to history-makers. Over the decades this mountain hideaway has welcomed rockstars, world leaders, and even been the site of past peace deal signings. Delegations from the US and Iran are due to meet there on Friday, capping off a rollercoaster week of diplomacy that began with a social media post Sunday evening from US President Donald Trump telling the "ships of the world" to "start your engines." Despite Trump's announcement that the US and Iran had reached a "peace agreement," no details were released. Iranian regime-aligned media began leaking elements of a memorandum of understanding (MoU), and news emerged that both sides had electronically signed a preliminary agreement. Trump said the "official" signing would...