Deutsche Presse-Agentur

Prime Minister Boris Johnson has said he is not going to walk away from Brexit talks - but Britain should prepare for World Trade Organization (WTO) rules, which would mean no trade deal with the European Union. The British prime minister warned that while Britain was keen to continue talks and believe a deal could be arranged with the European Union, Britons should prepare for no post-Brexit deal on January 1. Speaking to Sky News in Downing Street after his phone call with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and a meeting with his cabinet on Sunday, he said: "As things stand, ...

Germany is to close all but essential shops in the coming days under a weeks-long lockdown covering the Christmas holiday period, Chancellor Angela Merkel and the country's 16 state premiers agreed at a meeting on Sunday. The measures are to come into effect from Wednesday and last until January 10. These also include considerable restrictions imposed on schools and kindergartens, with most facilities to be closed or only operate to a limited extent. A partial lockdown in Germany that closed bars, restaurants and leisure facilities from early November while keeping shops and schools open was "...

Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro has claimed a sweeping victory in parliamentary elections that were boycotted by a weakened opposition. With more than 82 per cent of the votes counted, Maduro and his Socialist allies won just over 67 per cent, according to the Venezuelan broadcaster Telesur. Opposition parties received nearly 32 per cent. A win for Maduro's Socialist Party would place the country's only opposition-controlled government institution into his hands. The main opposition parties boycotted the elections, headed by opposition leader and parliamentary speaker Juan Guaido who enter...

Netflix says it will not start reminding viewers that its hit show "The Crown" is a drama, dismissing sharp criticism from royalists and a British minister over its depiction of historical events. "We have always presented 'The Crown' as a drama, and we have every confidence our members understand it's a work of fiction that's broadly based on historical events," the streaming service told British media in a statement. "As a result, we have no plans – and see no need – to add a disclaimer." After an initial backlash from both royals and the government, Helena Bonham Carter, who plays Princess ...

Temperatures topped 40 degrees in parts of Australia on Saturday as a heatwave hit the country's east.In the late morning, temperatures reached 42 degrees through the inland in the states of New South Wales, Queensland and Victoria as well as in South Australia, according to the Bureau of Meteorology (BoM).In New South Wales, parts of the city of Sydney passed 40 degrees in the afternoon and temperatures were expected to stay sweltering until late Sunday afternoon.It marks the first wave of extreme heat of the season in the east as Australia heads into summer.Total fire bans were in place in p...