Deutsche Welle: DW.com - Europe

Germany updates: Merz meets with Saudi crown prince Chancellor Friedrich Merz is in Saudi Arabia, his first stop on a three-day visit to the Gulf region as Germany seeks closer partnerships in the region. DW has the latest. Ukraine updates: Trilateral talks enter second day in UAE Representatives from Ukraine, Russia, and the United States are set to begin the second day of talks in Abu Dhabi aimed at ending the nearly four-year-long war. Follow DW for the latest. New START: Last US-Russia nuclear treaty expires, raising fears of new global arms race With the New START pact now expired, the US and Russia face no limits on their nuclear weapon stockpiles for the first time in decades. The UN warns the risk of nuclear use is now at its highest in decades. Winter Olympics begin quietly with curling The mixed doubles curling event kicked off the Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics two days before the official opening of the Games. Turkey's textile industry crushed by China and Bangladesh Asian rivals have pushed Turkey's manufacturers out of EU markets. Factories are closing and jobs are vanishing. Is there still hope the industry can survive? Gaza casualties 'hard to deny,' conflict monitors say Independent monitors have welcomed reports that the IDF now agrees with Palestinian casualty figures after years of denials. But whether in Gaza, Ukraine or other war zones, accurately gauging casualties is rarely easy. Serbia: Reform denounced as a political takeover of justice In a rushed, opaque procedure, Serbia's ruling majority has pushed through legal amendments that critics say undermine judicial independence and are designed to neutralize the prosecutors investigating organized crime. Tackling forever chemicals could save money and our health Critics say a new UK plan to tackle forever chemicals does not match proposed measures in the EU. As European governments try to deal with the growing PFAS pollution, cleaning it up could cost up to €1.7 trillion. 'Global human rights system is in peril,' says HRW US President Donald Trump's reelection has put civil rights under threat globally, Human Rights Watch warned. The NGO's report includes violations in Germany. Migrant boat collides with Greek coast guard vessel, 15 dead According to media reports, the Greek patrol boat issued a warning signal after spotting the migrant boat, which then tried to escape. For reasons that are still unclear, the two boats collided.