Deutsche Welle

Wildlife trafficking is usually associated with elephants and rhinos. But in East Africa, a much smaller creature is becoming part of the illegal trade: the Giant African Harvester Ant. A single queen can fetch €200. But these ants still play a vital role in their ecosystems. Lucy Riley speaks with ant expert Dino Martins and DW's Andrew Wasike in Nairobi about the growing trade in African ants.

Paul Biya has returned to Cameroon after 73 days abroad. But his prolonged absence and a major military reshuffle have raised questions about growing power struggles within the country. Political analyst Quinivet Jokem and DW's Moki Edwin Kindzeka in Yaounde join us to discuss what all this means for Cameroon.

Thousands of Africans have reportedly been recruited to fight for Russia in the war in Ukraine, with Cameroon identified among the major sources of recruits. In April, Cameroon confirmed that 16 of its nationals had been killed while serving in the Russian military. But for young people facing limited job opportunities, promises of better pay can make recruitment offers difficult to resist.

German carmakers built their success in Europe and found a growth engine in China. But that model is breaking apart.

Germany is heating and drying up faster than ever. Yet climate change is not high on the agenda of many politicians. Together with sustainability researcher Maja Göpel and SPD climate spokesperson Jakob Blankenburg, DW’s Berlin Bureau Chief Max Hofmann examines the growing gap between climate reality and political action and asks: can Germany keep up with climate change?

Sierra Leone wants to change key election rules, including lowering the presidential threshold from 55% to 50%+1. The opposition is challenging the reforms in court. Will they strengthen democracy or weaken voter power?

Why a job at the European Commission is a dream for many, but a disappointment for some. Plus, why fast fashion audit reports often miss the reality of working conditions in factories. And a migration special starting with the Pope's remarkable stance and why that matters at a time when Europe is implementing more restrictive rules. ++ https://shorturl.at/YmTsY https://shorturl.at/Lazzj ++ ?maca=e...

SADC leaders met in Durban, South Africa to tackle growth, food security and regional stability. Can the summit turn ambitious plans into real results for millions across Southern Africa?

Hakainde Hichilema has won a second term as Zambia's president after an election marked by tensions and arrests. Can he tackle economic challenges and restore public confidence?

WAFCON 2026 delivered upsets, penalty drama, and one of the most extraordinary tournaments in recent African women's football history. What does this tournament tell us about the state of the game, and who has emerged as the biggest winner? Adwoa Tenkorama Domena speaks to football analyst Biola Solace-Chukwu and DW's correspondent Chimwemwe Padatha.

Three months into the Ebola outbreak in DR Congo, the toll goes beyond deaths. Markets are closing, farms are abandoned and families are losing income. What is Ebola's true economic cost?

EU countries are expected to spend €454 billion on defense this year. But how dependent is the EU still on the US?

Donor funding slashed. Clinics closing. Prevention programs collapsing. With less than four years to end AIDS as a public health threat, Africa faces a brutal choice: fund its own future or watch decades of progress unravel. Under The Baobab confronts the leaders, the numbers, and the hard truth about who will be held accountable when 2030 arrives.

DW’s Michaela Küfner asks security analyst Hans-Jakob Schindler, disinformation expert Julia Smirnova and DW Riga Bureau Chief Juri Rescheto to piece together what we know about the drone incident at Leipzig airport. How exposed is Germany to what the government admits are “daily attacks in a hybrid war”? And what, if anything, can we make of the awkward silence from German officials on Russia?

The controversy surrounding Hungary’s election of a new president and Turkey’s move to reintegrate Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) militants into society. Then, a brutal attack in Belgrade raises questions about political violence in Serbia. And a ratty special on why rodents are thriving in cities around the world. ++ https://shorturl.at/tJxGL ++?maca=en-podcast_inside-europe-949-xml-mrss

Ghana's President John Mahama wants to foster closer Caribbean ties to AfCFTA when Ghana chairs the African Union next year. Could a transatlantic free-trade market work despite political and logistical hurdles?

Cameroon President Paul Biya has not been seen in public since leaving for Europe on June 7. The 93-year-old leader, who has ruled Cameroon since 1982, remains abroad as government business continues and senior military positions are reshuffled. Host Lucy Riley speaks with global affairs analyst Levi Mboushou and DW correspondent Dorcas Ekupe about what Biya's absence means.

The Women's Africa Cup of Nations is down to its final four. Who has impressed most, which teams can win the title, and what does WAFCON reveal about the future of women's football in Africa?

More than 95% of young people in Rwanda's rehab centers are being treated for alcohol addiction. What's driving the surge, and what can be done to stop it?

As Zambian prepare to vote on August 13, the countrys' electoral commission faces one of its biggest tests yet: a new voter register, new constituencies, ballot security, campaign tensions and public questions over trust.

For years, Western policymakers warned about a new "China Shock" as Chinese exports flooded global markets. Now Beijing is pushing back with a new message: stop seeing China as a threat and start seeing an opportunity.

Germany's far-right AfD believes itself to be on the cusp of power in Saxony-Anhalt. What would the AfD's manifesto look like if put into practice? Then: Why Reform UK's Nigel Farage is spending his summer battling a bin and how a tragedy in Ceuta became a crisis in Brussels. Plus, FIFA boss Gianni Infantino's latest scandal and Estonia's musical soft-power.

A growing number of high-profile cases against opposition politicians and government critics are testing Uganda's justice system and raising questions about democracy, dissent and the rule of law. Is justice or intimidation at play?

A landmark pension reform is triggering backlash from eastern Germany and exposing deep divisions within Chancellor Friedrich Merz's party. Why is Germany's pension system under pressure? Why the resistance? And could this become a serious threat to the government itself? In this episode of Berlin Briefing, Max Hofmann and Michaela Küfner speak with leading economist Veronika Grimm to find out.

As Zambians prepare to vote in a general election on August 13, a new report by Transparency International has raised concerns about freedom of expression, freedom of assembly and political participation.