Vossische Zeitung - News from Berlin, Brandenburg, Europe and the whole world

Spanish 17th seed Roberto Bautista Agut on Thursday became the third player to withdraw from this year's Wimbledon with Covid-19 in a fresh blow for the tournament, which has returned to full capacity this year.

Opener Usman Khawaja hit a gritty half-century to help Australia take the lead against Sri Lanka on the rain-hit second day of the opening Test on Thursday.

Russian troops have abandoned their positions on a captured Ukrainian island, a major set-back to their invasion effort that weakens their blockade of Ukraine's ports, defence officials said Thursday.

Formula One's Alpine team said on Wednesday physical ability is no barrier for women to compete in their sport as they launched a programme to have a female driver in the next eight years.

The scant remains of DR Congo's fiery independence hero Patrice Lumumba were to be interred on Thursday after a pilgrimage that revived traumatic memories but also stirred national unity.

Major oil producers led by Saudi Arabia and Russia are expected to stick to a previously decided output boost on Thursday, despite calls for bigger increases to tame crude prices.

Oleksandra has wanted to leave Ukraine since her home was bombed. But she can't, because her passport says she is a man, and can therefore be drafted into the army.

Russia's celebrated film director Kirill Serebrennikov, who left the country after criticising its offensive in Ukraine, has accused the authorities of "murdering" his former theatre that he had built into a top cultural venue.

Salmonella bacteria have been discovered in the world's biggest chocolate plant, run by Swiss giant Barry Callebaut in the Belgian town of Wieze, the firm said Thursday.

With one day remaining ahead of the Tour de France's 'Grand Depart' in Denmark, Tadej Pogacar sounded a warning to those hoping to dethrone the double champion.

The second day's play of the opening Test between Sri Lanka and Australia began Thursday afternoon after a long rain delay that caused a spectator stand to collapse in Galle.

Israeli lawmakers dissolved parliament on Thursday, forcing the country's fifth election in less than four years, with Foreign Minister Yair Lapid set to take over as caretaker prime minister at midnight.

England coach Eddie Jones admitted Owen Farrell "wasn't very happy" after Courtney Lawes was named captain Thursday for the opening Test against Australia, as veteran scrum-half Danny Care was handed a first start since 2018.

Chinese President Xi Jinping said Hong Kong had been "reborn of fire" as he arrived Thursday to mark the 25th anniversary of the city's handover, in his first visit since the business hub's democracy movement was crushed.

Most markets fell again Thursday as traders fear that hefty rate hikes to rein in soaring inflation will spark a recession, though a slight improvement in Chinese data provided a little cheer.

England coach Eddie Jones named Courtney Lawes captain Thursday ahead of Owen Farrell for the first Test against Australia, as veteran scrum-half Danny Care was handed his first start since 2018.

Most markets fell again Thursday as traders fear that hefty rate hikes to rein in soaring inflation will spark a recession, though a slight improvement in Chinese data did provide a little cheer.

The gruesome killing of a Hindu tailor has inflamed religious tensions in India and sparked a furious response on social media, including calls for reprisal attacks against the country's Muslim minority.

Chinese President Xi Jinping arrived in Hong Kong Thursday to attend celebrations marking the 25th anniversary of the city's handover from Britain to China.

Israeli lawmakers were voting Thursday on a bill to dissolve parliament in a move that will trigger the country's fifth election in less than four years and make Foreign Minister Yair Lapid the new prime minister.

Activists in Sudan have called for mass rallies Thursday to demand the reversal of an October military coup that prompted foreign governments to slash aid, deepening a chronic economic crisis.

Rain and strong winds caused a stand to collapse at the Galle cricket stadium on Thursday, seriously delaying the second day's play in the opening Test between Sri Lanka and Australia.

For many LGBT Russian artists, the invasion of Ukraine and the accompanying political crackdown was the final straw. Helped by a Paris charity, they have found a new home in France.

With its ghost towns and armed men taking on a vast wilderness, one could almost mistake the Svalbard archipelago for the Wild West.

Chinese President Xi Jinping is expected to visit Hong Kong Thursday, prompting a massive security effort ahead of celebrations marking the 25th anniversary of the city's handover to China.

Japan head coach Jamie Joseph on Thursday backed his team to keep their cool in the first rugby Test against France despite temperatures forecast to soar to 35 degrees Celsius by kick-off time in Toyota on Saturday afternoon.

Controversial former Wallaby Israel Folau declared Thursday it was "awesome" to be ending a four-year Test rugby exile by making his debut for Tonga against Fiji at Saturday.

Thousands of Afghan religious scholars and tribal elders gathered in the capital Thursday for a men-only meeting the Taliban hope will rubber-stamp their hardline Islamic rule.

Rain has delayed the start of Thursday's second day of play in the opening Test between Sri Lanka and Australia in Galle.

Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr on Thursday praised his dictator father's rule after being sworn in as the country's new leader, completing a decades-long effort to restore the clan to the country's highest office.

Samsung Electronics became the first chipmaker in the world to mass produce advanced 3-nanometre microchips, the company said Thursday, as it seeks to catch up with Taiwan's TSMC.

The son of the Philippines' late dictator Ferdinand Marcos was sworn in as president Thursday, completing a decades-long effort to restore the clan to the country's highest office.