Berliner Tageszeitung - News from Berlin, Brandenburg and the world

Heavy rains and intensifying winds pummeled Florida as parts of the state braced for "unsurvivable" conditions ahead of Hurricane Helene's landfall later Thursday, with officials warning of a 20-foot (six-meter) storm surge that could submerge the low-lying coast.

A Florida teenager has filed a lawsuit seeking to stop Friday's auction of Shohei Ohtani's 50-50 home run ball, claiming he is the rightful owner of the prized baseball collectible which is tipped to fetch millions when it goes under the hammer.

Poverty in Argentina rose to over 52 percent of the population in the first six months of self-declared "anarcho-capitalist" Javier Milei's presidency, according to data released Thursday by the INDEC statistics agency.

There is no shortage of highly rated college quarterbacks who enter the NFL, struggle, bounce around several teams and then fade out of the game and the collective memory.

Top Israeli officials on Thursday rejected a US-backed proposal for a ceasefire with Hezbollah, even as Washington insisted the truce plan had been "coordinated" with Israel.

The United States led some 30 countries in a call Thursday to maintain pressure on Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, urging him to engage in dialogue with the opposition after a disputed election.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky met Joe Biden at the White House Thursday to present his wartime "victory plan," after the US president announced an $8 billion surge in military aid for Kyiv's fight against Russia.

Designer Chemena Kamali -- who dressed Kamala Harris for the Democratic Convention in August -- turned heads at Paris Fashion Week Thursday with a line of lacy transparent looks the US presidential hopeful may be a little more shy about trying.

Far from its native Champagne, prestigious French wine house Taittinger on Thursday inaugurated its new vineyard in south-east England, where climate change is making it increasingly easy to grow grapes.

New York's self-described mayor of "swagger" who held late-night court at Manhattan clubs, Eric Adams vowed to be a city leader unlike any other.

Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag has highlighted a lack of goals as the major factor behind the English giants' faltering start to the season.

French President Emmanuel Macron and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Thursday committed to work towards "open and decarbonized" economies and for international cooperation on artificial intelligence.

Oscar-winning Spanish director Pedro Almodovar received a lifetime achievement award at Spain's San Sebastian film festival Thursday, getting teary-eyed as he was given a prolonged standing ovation.

Vladimir Putin's proposed revision of Russian nuclear policy signals a worrying readiness to use the ultimate weapon against Ukraine and even NATO members, but it remains far from certain the threat will be translated into action, analysts say.

American basketball player Derrick Rose, the youngest ever NBA star to win the Most Valuable Player award, announced his retirement on Thursday after 16 seasons.

England paceman Josh Hull has been ruled out of next month's Test tour of Pakistan with a quad injury, team management said Thursday.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Thursday called for continued pressure on Venezuela's President Nicolas Maduro to engage in dialogue with the Venezuelan opposition after the country's disputed presidential election.

The United States on Thursday announced $535 million in new aid for Syrians, pledging to keep up humanitarian assistance even after fighting in the brutal war has ended.

Daniel Ricciardo has been replaced on the RB Formula One team by Liam Lawson for the rest of the 2024 season, the Red Bull-affiliated constructor announced on Thursday.

New York's scandal-plagued Mayor Eric Adams was charged Thursday with wire fraud, soliciting illegal foreign campaign donations and bribery conspiracy -- stunning charges that fueled calls for him to resign.

With typhoon Yagi battering Asia, storm Boris drenching parts of Europe, extreme flooding in the Sahel and hurricane Helene racing towards Florida, September so far has been a very wet month.

Myanmar's embattled junta on Thursday invited armed groups opposed to its rule to stop fighting and start talks to bring peace, after three-and-a-half years of conflict.

Kenya is aiming to complete by January its full deployment of a stabilization force in violence-torn Haiti, President William Ruto said Thursday, as Haiti's leader suggested making it a UN peacekeeping mission.

Argentina have changed seven of the team that started a thrilling 29-28 victory over South Africa last weekend for a rematch in the Rugby Championship title decider on Saturday.

Firefighters in Ecuador's capital were battling the remnants of major forest fires on Thursday that had sent massive plumes of smoke above Quito earlier this week, amid a record drought.

Stock markets climbed Thursday as China signalled more stimulus for the world's second-largest economy, while a strong outlook from US chip giant Micron gave a further boost to investor optimism.

Parts of Florida face "unsurvivable" conditions when Hurricane Helene hits later Thursday, the US weather service said, warning that howling wind will drive destructive waves and storm surge as high as 20 feet (six meters) onto the low-lying coast.

Australia will return to Lord's on Friday for the first time since last year's Ashes row, with captain Mitchell Marsh confident a controversial incident involving wicketkeeper Alex Carey is firmly in the past.

Claude Monet was enchanted by the mysterious light generated by London's famous "smog", and the city he loved is now hosting a new exhibition recognising his strange fascination with the industrial pollution.

Pakistan said Thursday it would have to go through "transitional pain" after the International Monetary Fund agreed to a new relief package of $7 billion to bolster its faltering economy.

New York's scandal-plagued mayor Eric Adams was federally charged Thursday with crimes including wire fraud, soliciting illegal foreign campaign donations and bribery conspiracy, a stunning indictment unsealed amid calls for him to resign.

A Vincent van Gogh painting displaying the artist's shift from dark realism to vibrant impressionism sold for US$32.2 million at a Hong Kong auction on Thursday, falling short of expectations that it would fetch a record-breaking price.