News and current affairs from Germany and around the world

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US-Israel war with Iran

Fighting has erupted in Iran and the Middle East after Israel and the US attacked the country, following a US military build-up in the region.

Developing

The German chancellor addressing the Bundestag

Germany news: Merz says US has 'no convincing plan' in Iran

The chancellor ruled out a role in the Iran war for Germany. He said the country would have advised against the strikes.

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News

March 18, 2026

Nigeria: 80 militants killed, army says

March 18, 2026

One woman dead after gondola crashes in Swiss Alps

March 18, 2026

Skeleton in Magdeburg Cathedral is almost certainly Otto I

March 18, 2026

US to demand $15,000 visa bonds from 12 more countries

March 18, 2026

Pakistan, Taliban agree on strike pause for end of Ramadan

March 18, 2026

Strike halts all passenger flights at Berlin airport

Skip next section Reports & Analysis

Reports & Analysis

Africa

Denis Sassou Nguesso is pictured sitting in a chair during a summit held in Nigeria in 2024

President Sassou-Nguesso wins Congo-Brazzaville's election

Provisional results announced showed Nguesso with nearly 95% of the vote; his closest rival received less than 2%.

Asia

A Taliban security personnel walks as smoke rises from the site after overnight Pakistani airstrikes hit oil depots for commercial airlines, near the Kandahar airport

Iran war overlaps with Afghanistan-Pakistan conflict

With airstrikes on Afghan territory, Pakistan has declared open war on the Taliban.

Germany

Friedrich Merz, a balding man with glasses, looks out a window that is reflecting a parade of soliders

Where does Germany stand on the Iran war?

As the Iran conflict escalates and prices rise, Germany faces a legal, political, and economic tightrope.

Europe

Has Europe's center-right started relying on the far right?

With Europe's center-right increasingly teaming up with the far-right in the European Parliament, a shift may be afoot.

Middle East

Smoke rises above Fly Dubai planes at Dubai airport

No more big spenders: Iran war to dent Gulf state investment

Gulf states have spent, or promised to spend, trillions in global investment. Their focus may be forced closer to home.

North America

US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth at a press conference

Pete Hegseth has been loyal defense secretary for Trump

Former soldier and TV host Pete Hegseth calls himself a Christian patriot; critics say hes a far-right agitator.

Latin America

A virtually empty street in Cuba with rubbish piled up in the foreground.

Cuba faces economic collapse as US oil blockade hits tourism

Cut off from Venezuelan oil, Cuba faces an acute energy crisis, leading to canceled flights and deepening economic woes.

Video news

Latest show

Could you endure these rites of passage?

We meet boys facing deadly initiations, girls rejecting FGM, and Miss World Somalia turning pain into purpose.

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All Shows

Get inspired!

Discover DW's outstanding documentaries, exciting talk shows, news and magazines.

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A closer look

Climate change

Increased levels of carbon dioxide and other human-caused emissions being released into the atmosphere have caused global surface and ocean temperatures to rise at unprecedented speed.

Crates hold various sizes and shapes of floor tiles waiting to be cleaned in the yard of Rotor DC, a Brussels-based salvage company

Mining cities to build homes from demolition waste

Rubble doesn't have to be rubbish. Urban mining is transforming old structures into low‑carbon-building gold.

An aerial view of a village in Brandenburg. The picture shows houses, a biogas plant and wind turbines that dominate the background.

The German village running on its own juice

One tiny German village has managed to make itself immune to global energy price shocks.

Carsten Schneider during the presentation on March 14, 2026

Germany's Climate Protection measures are barely on target

Germany has met its climate target for 2025. The environment minister wants to do more, but the government is split.

Explore more

Skip next section In the spotlight

In the spotlight

USA Pittsburgh 2007 | Luis von Ahn in Carnegie Mellon University

The internet was supposed to be free. What went wrong?

Thirty years ago, counterculturalists declared the internet an independent space. Where did the hippie utopia go wrong?

A large building, the Gandhi Hospital in Tehran, that's been damaged in a nearby attack

War in Iran: Chronically ill fight for survival

Medical care for millions of chronically ill people in Iran is on the verge of collapse.

Inscriptions of gladiators fighting animals.

Ancient graffiti reveals scenes of everyday life in Pompeii

Researchers are turning to the Pompeii's graffiti to better understand their lives, humor and concerns.

Donald Trump and FIFA President Gianni Infantino shake hands at the 2026 World Cup draw

World Cup 2026: Is the US-Iran war an ethical tipping point?

The US is the main host of the 2026 World Cup. But it's at war with Iran, which has qualified for the tournament.

Children and a man cross a bamboo bridge over a river

The 'green' mining boom poisoning rivers in Southeast Asia

Indigenous and rural, farmiing communities are trying to stand up to polluting mineral and gold mining.

Commercial vessels are pictured offshore in Dubai on March 11, 2026.

US wants help to guard Strait of Hormuz, but EU is not keen

As Trump dials up pressure on Europe to guard the Strait of Hormuz, Russia is taking advantage of the Iran war

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Most viewed

Iran war: New head Khamenei vows to avenge Larijani killing
ConflictsMarch 18, 2026
The German village running on its own juice
Nature and EnvironmentMarch 17, 2026
Is Iran's regime at a breaking point?
ConflictsMarch 17, 2026
Iran war: NATO making 'mistake' on Hormuz, Trump says
ConflictsMarch 18, 2026
Germany news: Strike to block all flights at Berlin airport
PoliticsMarch 16, 2026

Skip next section Specials & Events

Specials & Events

Living Planet

Why are fungi so fascinating? What's better, tea or coffee? This podcast puts a fresh spin on the climate debate.

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Living

Chef Julien Hubert is holding two plates toward the camera. On the left is a typical Breton galette, on the right a sugared crêpe.

Galette: The savory side of the crêpe

In Brittany, the galette is a staple of traditional French cuisine.

Euromaxx reporter Anja Koch is walking through Vienna in sunny weather. Behind her is an ornate building with arched colonnades and statues made of white stone.

How to visit Vienna on a budget

Here are our top tips for saving time and money when you travel to the Austrian capital, Vienna.

A spectator arrives to watch the St Patrick's Day parade, wearing extra large sunglasses and costume.

10 things to know about St. Patrick's Day

Here are 10 important facts about the popular party celebrated each year on March 17.

A group of women are posing together while ice bathing in Latvia. They are wearing green costumes with a snakeskin pattern, along with matching make-up and headpieces.

Ice bathing in Latvia: A chilly tradition

These Latvian ladies blend ice bathing with art and body positivity.

American singer-songwriter Tyler Ballgame on stage

How American artist Tyler Ballgame learned to value himself

US singer‑songwriter Tyler Ballgame presented his debut album "For the First Time, Again."

Portrait of a Hasidic rabbi - father of the photographer Benyamin Reich - with a typical hat on a bench in an empty factory

New photos by Berlin-based Jewish artist Benyamin Reich

Benyamin Reich photographs Jewish traditions while simultaneously breaking free of them.

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