Author: Deutsche Presse-Agentur - Dpa

Inmates of Syria’s prisons are being subjected to systematic torture and physical and psychological harm, according to a new human rights report from the United Nations based on testimony from more than 300 witnesses. “Former detainees described severe physical and psychological abuse, including beatings, stress positions and sexual violence. The investigation documented inhumane conditions characterized by overcrowding, insufficient food and water, lack of hygiene and denial of medical care,” the report released in New York on Friday says. It cites medical evidence and the Syrian government’s own documentation and reveals violations including sexual violence and enforced disappearance. “Our report lays…

Russia intends to deploy its new Oreshnik missile system, recently used against Ukraine for the first time, in neighbouring Belarus as a deterrent to the West. “These complexes will be put into service with the Russian Strategic Missile Forces and, in parallel, we will begin deploying them on the territory of Belarus,” President Vladimir Putin said in Minsk on Friday at talks with Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko. Putin named the second half of 2025 as the date for the deployment of what he described as a “terrible” weapon. Russia fired the newly developed medium-range missile at the Ukrainian city of…

Pep Guardiola expressed relief as Manchester City ended their winless streak with a commanding 3-0 victory over Nottingham Forest on Wednesday. The reigning champions had spiraled into turmoil during a seven-game drought – six losses and a stunning 3-3 draw in which they squandered a 3-0 lead. With four of those defeats coming in the Premier League, City’s hopes for a fifth consecutive title took a significant hit. However, they appeared rejuvenated, decisively brushing aside Forest at the Etihad Stadium. “We needed it,” City manager Guardiola said. “The club, the players, everyone needed to win. “But it is just one…

Pep Guardiola expressed relief as Manchester City ended their winless streak with a commanding 3-0 victory over Nottingham Forest on Wednesday. The reigning champions had spiraled into turmoil during a seven-game drought – six losses and a stunning 3-3 draw in which they squandered a 3-0 lead. With four of those defeats coming in the Premier League, City’s hopes for a fifth consecutive title took a significant hit. However, they appeared rejuvenated, decisively brushing aside Forest at the Etihad Stadium. “We needed it,” City manager Guardiola said. “The club, the players, everyone needed to win. “But it is just one…

Pep Guardiola expressed relief as Manchester City ended their winless streak with a commanding 3-0 victory over Nottingham Forest on Wednesday. The reigning champions had spiraled into turmoil during a seven-game drought – six losses and a stunning 3-3 draw in which they squandered a 3-0 lead. With four of those defeats coming in the Premier League, City’s hopes for a fifth consecutive title took a significant hit. However, they appeared rejuvenated, decisively brushing aside Forest at the Etihad Stadium. “We needed it,” City manager Guardiola said. “The club, the players, everyone needed to win. “But it is just one…

The Dutch Formula One Grand Prix, home to world champion Max Verstappen, will make its final appearance in 2026 before being removed from the race calendar, it was confirmed Wednesday. According to an F1 statement, a one-year contract extension for 2026 has been secured, but after careful deliberation, the promoter has decided not to renew the race beyond that year. The Dutch GP was reintroduced in 2021 at Zandvoort, and Verstappen has won it three times. The statement said the final edition in 2026 would include a sprint race. The future of the race was uncertain beyond the original contract,…

NATO fears new serious acts of sabotage and cyber attacks on alliance territory, a senior official said on the sidelines of a NATO foreign ministers’ meeting in Brussels. The official said that Russia in particular appears to be becoming more willing to hurt or endanger lives through sabotage in NATO member countries. China, Iran and North Korea are also active in cyber attacks, according to the official. Beijing, like Moscow, is conducting an ongoing campaign to spread malware, the official said. The aim is to carry out espionage, but also to have the ability to cause disruption in the event…

Workers at Volkswagen’s plant in the south-eastern German city of Zwickau began walking off the job at 9:30 am on Monday (0830 GMT), marking the start of nationwide strikes against the German auto giant. Workers at the rest of Volkswagen’s plants in Germany are expected to follow suit later on Monday morning. The IG Metall trade union, which announced the strikes to protest management threats of wage cuts and plant closures, has called for two-hour work stoppages on every shift. The strikes are meant to signal employees’ intense opposition to the company’s demands for across-the-board wage reductions, as well as…

The Bangladeshi government has strongly condemned an attack on its consulate in Agartala, the capital of the Indian state of Tripura, allegedly carried out by members of a Hindu group. In a statement issued on Monday evening, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Dhaka expressed deep concern over the incident, which it attributed to protesters from the Hindu Sangharsh Samiti, a Hindu religious advocacy platform. “The accounts received conclusively attest that the protesters were allowed to aggress into the premises by breaking down the main gate of the Bangladesh Assistant High Commission in a pre-planned manner,” said the statement. During…

The president of the International Criminal Court (ICC), Tomoko Akane, has accused the United States and Russia of threatening the court’s existence. The attacks were aimed at undermining its legitimacy and ability to function, the judge said in The Hague on Monday, at the opening of the court’s annual conference of state parties. The court president spoke of coercive measures, threats, pressure and sabotage. Pressure on the court had increased significantly following the issuance of arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former defence minister Yoav Gallant. In the United States, leading Republicans have threatened to impose sanctions…