Berliner Tageszeitung - News from Berlin, Brandenburg and the world

NASA rolled out its largest-ever rocket to a launch pad in Florida on Friday and will try again 10 days from now to blast off on a much-delayed uncrewed mission to the Moon.

You've never felt Bach's Toccata and Fugue in D minor quite like this: in Atlantic City, the largest organ in the world is coming back to life.

MotoGP's champion-in-waiting Francesco Bagnaia warmed up for this weekend's final decisive race in Valencia with the ninth quickest time in practice on Friday, one place behind Fabio Quartararo whose crown he intends to take.

Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni on Friday reiterated his refusal to impose a nationwide Covid-like lockdown to contain the spread of Ebola despite a worrying increase in cases.

The G7 foreign ministers on Friday vowed to continue supporting Ukraine in its fight against Russia and urged caution towards China after two days of talks in Germany.

Graham Potter expects Chelsea's players to put their bodies on the line in the run-up to the World Cup despite injury concerns after Ben Chilwell joined the growing list of stars facing potential heartbreak.

France's National Assembly voted Friday to sanction a far-right MP with a rare 15-day suspension and pay cut after he yelled "back to Africa" at a black colleague, a clash that drew outrage across the political spectrum.

Barcelona coach Xavi Hernandez says he understands Gerard Pique's decision to retire halfway through the season, because the 35-year-old defender doesn't feel as "important or useful" to the team as before.

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak on Friday promised Britain would build on the achievements of its presidency of the COP26 climate change summit in Glasgow, as Egypt prepared to host the next meeting to tackle global warming.

The future of the platypus, a unique duck-billed, egg-laying mammal only found in Australia, is under threat because they cannot climb over tall river dams, according to a new study.

Former Pakistan prime minister Imran Khan accused his successor Friday of involvement in a plot to kill him as he recovered in hospital from gunshot wounds following an assassination attempt.

Donald Trump is planning to ride a wave of Republican victories in next week's midterm elections by announcing a run for the presidency, US media reported Friday, as Democrats braced for a punishing night even in the most liberal corners of America.

England coach Eddie Jones lauded Owen Farrell's "unbelievable desire" to win after restoring the centre to the captaincy for Sunday's match against Argentina at Twickenham.

Michael Cheika says juggling two high-profile jobs as head coach of Argentina's rugby union team and Lebanon's rugby league side has been "pretty seamless" as he gears up for two huge matches within 48 hours.

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz held talks with human rights lawyers critical of the regime in Beijing ahead of a controversial trip to China on Friday, a source in his entourage told AFP.

US job gains topped expectations in October, official data showed Friday, as hiring remained resilient and wages moved ever higher even as unemployment edged up, underscoring the challenges in lowering rampant inflation.

Moscow was pushing ahead Friday with a civilian pullout from the Russian-occupied Kherson region amid a mounting Ukrainian counter-offensive, with President Vladimir Putin saying residents must be "removed" from danger zones.

Pope Francis warned the world is on the edge of a "delicate precipice" and buffeted by "winds of war" as he held inter-faith talks with one of Sunni Islam's top leaders in Bahrain on Friday.

All-rounder Mohammad Nabi quit as captain of Afghanistan's Twenty20 team on Friday, barely an hour after their winless World Cup campaign ended with a loss to Australia in Adelaide.

Thousands of Twitter employees were ordered to stay home Friday to await a bracing round of layoffs that could see half of the payroll axed as new owner Elon Musk launches his major overhaul of the company.

Brazilian police said Friday they have nearly finished clearing hundreds of roadblocks by supporters of far-right President Jair Bolsonaro, who have been protesting since his election loss to veteran leftist Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva.

FIFA has called on teams at the World Cup in Qatar to "focus on football" and stop "handing out moral lessons" in a message that received a sharp rebuke from Amnesty International.

Fiji laid down a marker with a 59-12 demolition of Japan on the opening day of the Hong Kong Rugby Sevens, coming back from the scare of conceding the first try.

Barcelona coach Xavi Hernandez says he understands Gerard Pique's decision to retire halfway through the season, because the 35-year-old defender doesn't feel as "important or useful" to the team as before.

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz told Chinese leaders in Beijing on Friday that Berlin expected equal treatment on trade as he tried to drum up greater economic cooperation despite growing distrust of the Asian superpower in the West.

The Dutch government has banned British conspiracy theorist David Icke from the Netherlands and the entire Schengen area of the European Union for two years over fears his presence could "disturb public order".

Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi on Friday dismissed a pledge from US leader Joe Biden to "free Iran" as the clerical regime faced a new upsurge in protests seven weeks into the anti-regime movement.

Conor Murray admits he does not "really like the attention" he receives due to his stellar exploits for Ireland and Munster but on Saturday the scrum-half will have to grin and bear it as he leads the team out for his 100th cap.

Tigrayan authorities on Friday accused Ethiopia's government of carrying out a drone strike on civilians, less than 48 hours after the warring parties signed a deal to end their bloody conflict.

Eddie Howe revealed on Friday that he walked into a Newcastle dressing room that "wanted help" when he launched his rescue mission as he prepares to mark 12 months in charge at St James' Park.

Glenn Maxwell hit an unbeaten half-century to keep Australia in the hunt for the semi-finals of the Twenty20 World Cup with a tense four-run win over Afghanistan on Friday.

Wales fly-half Dan Biggar has joined French side Toulon from English Premiership outfit Northampton with immediate effect, the Top 14 club announced on Friday.