Berliner Tageblatt - News from Berlin, Europe and the whole world

Europe’s battery-electric car market moved from steady expansion to genuine acceleration in the first half of 2026. Registrations rose far faster than the wider new-car market, and June pushed the technology beyond a quarter of all new cars sold. Yet the same figures reveal a continent divided between mature electric markets, rapidly scaling mass markets and countries where battery power remains a marginal choice.

For decades, the upper reaches of the global motor industry changed slowly. Toyota, Volkswagen, General Motors, Ford and the large European and Asian alliances traded places, but the basic hierarchy remained familiar. The first half of 2026 has broken that pattern. BYD, Geely and Chery all entered the world’s ten largest automotive groups by market share at the same time, turning what had once been described as a future threat into a present commercial reality.

President Donald Trump's former personal lawyer Todd Blanche was confirmed as US attorney general on Saturday after Senate Republicans shrugged off Democratic concerns over politicization of the Justice Department.

President Volodymyr Zelensky was making his first official visit to Serbia -- a rare European country still closely aligned with Moscow -- on Saturday as Ukraine seeks to bolster international support in the face of intensifying Russian strikes.

An international academic conference on Tibet due to take place in Nepal this month has been pushed online, organisers said Saturday, calling it a "worrying development".

President Volodymyr Zelensky was making his first official visit to Serbia -- a rare European country still closely aligned with Moscow -- on Saturday as Ukraine seeks to bolster international support in the face of intensifying Russian strikes.

A tiny greenish, noctural frog that thrives in coffee plantations has been discovered in the Costa Rica's central Pacific region, where it also faces risks from agrochemicals used in farming.

Ben Shelton threw down eight aces and produced three love games in the second set in dominating Zizou Bergs 6-3, 6-2 on Friday in reaching the fourth round of the ATP Montreal Masters.

Two weeks after youth-led protests forced India's education minister to resign, Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government is grappling with the fallout from one of its toughest political challenges in years.

Palestinian Christians call themselves "living stones" and say they have lived continuously in the Holy Land for the last 2,000 years. Maybe not for much longer, believes Reverend Mitri Raheb.

Sensing frustration among many Russians towards the Ukraine war, Russia's liberal Yabloko party is hoping to use parliamentary elections this September to raise its profile, casting itself as the only opposition group in favour of a ceasefire.

Star batsman Travis Head has won Australia's top cricketing honour for the second year in a row, edging Alex Carey to claim the Allan Border Medal.

Faced with another summer when wildfires have scorched millions of hectares of land and blankets of smoke have disrupted daily life nationwide, Canada is trying to limit the annual devastation.

Colombian President Abelardo de la Espriella vowed to restore order and eradicate "narco-terrorists" in a fiery first speech as leader on Friday.

The death of NBA Memphis Grizzlies forward Brandon Clarke was ruled an accident due to "the effects of heroin and cocaine," the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner announced on Friday.

Beleaguered FIFA president Gianni Infantino has received some much-needed support after over a week of scathing criticism revolving around the now shelved private investment plan but there was again a call Friday for him to resign.

With a lucrative legal career and a variety of colorful business projects under his belt, Colombia's incoming President Abelardo de la Espriella now has grand plans to crush armed insurgents, cozy up to the United States and overhaul the system.

Colombian President Abelardo de la Espriella took office Friday, vowing to wage war on drug-running guerrillas and usher in a new era of close ties with the United States.

The soccer ball that Diego Maradona used to score his notorious "Hand of God" goal during Argentina's win over England in the 1986 World Cup is expected to sell for $10 million at a US auction this month.

FIFA president Gianni Infantino on Friday received support from several leading South American football figures as he visited Colombia amidst the crisis engulfing world football's governing body.

Reigning Australian Open champion Elena Rybakina advanced to the fourth round of the WTA Toronto Masters on Friday while French Open winner Mirra Andreeva was eliminated by Canada's Leylah Fernandez.

Amazon confirmed Friday it is financially backing a massive, private gas power plant in Texas that could become the single largest source of greenhouse gas emissions in the United States.

Ben Shelton threw down eight aces and produced three love games in the second set in dominating Zizou Bergs 6-3, 6-2 on Friday in reaching the fourth round of the ATP Montreal Masters.

A legal battle between Apple and OpenAI over the ChatGPT-maker's secretive device project escalated this week when the artificial intelligence (AI) developer called the iPhone-maker's allegations "baseless" and asked for the lawsuit's dismissal.

All Blacks coach Dave Rennie said his team needed to improve after they beat the Stormers 38-21 in the opening match of their South African tour at the Cape Town Stadium on Friday.

Four late tries sealed a 38-21 win for the New Zealand All Blacks against the Stormers in the opening match of their South African tour at the Cape Town Stadium on Friday night.

Spain announced on Friday it would introduce temporary border checks on travellers from Italy in response to Rome imposing similar measures after a mass migrant rush into Ceuta.

Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Pakistan signed a joint defence agreement on Friday amid violence in the region from Houthi attacks and the US-Iran war.

Aprilia's Marco Bezzecchi returned after a broken collarbone to shave almost a full second off the Silverstone track record in Friday's pre-qualifying session for this weekend's British MotoGP.

US President Donald Trump is moving forward with an attempt to remove Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook over mortgage fraud allegations, according to a White House letter seen by AFP on Friday, after the Supreme Court batted him back in June.

Rashid Khan took six wickets as Afghanistan hammered Ireland by 92 runs in the second one-day international on Friday.

With a lucrative legal career and a variety of colorful business projects under his belt, Colombia's incoming president Abelardo de la Espriella now has grand plans to crush armed insurgents, cozy up to the United States and overhaul the system.