The Indian Air Force confirmed that the country's military chief of defense staff, Bipin Rawat, was aboard a helicopter that crashed in the south of the country.

DW's Biresh Banerjee spoke to Nalin Kohli, spokesperson for the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), about coronavirus-related Islamophobia in India and allegations that the Indian government is exploiting the crisis to ramp up suppression of Muslims.

Dresden's famous christmas market, the Striezelmarkt, has been around for centuries. This year, the planned opening was canceled due to the high incidence rate of coronavirus infections in the state of Saxony.

The Muslim community in India is often a target of misinformation spread by Hindu nationalists. The latest accusation is that Muslims are carrying out "rice jihad". We tell you more in this edition of Truth or Fake.

India was recently gripped by a controversy involving the family of one of its most famous actors, Shahrukh Khan. In October 2021, Khan's son was arrested for alleged narcotics consumption. But according to his lawyer, there was no evidence of any wrongdoing. Many Indians believe the arrest was in fact orchestrated by India's Hindu nationalist government as a way of targeting the actor. In recent years, the government has become increasingly hostile towards some members of the country's powerful film industry. Our correspondents report.

The shutdown was initiated over fears of the rapid spread of the omicron variant. Meanwhile, Germany's health minister has ruled out a lockdown before Christmas. Follow DW for the latest.

The ambitious goal to fully vaccinate the entire adult population is proving difficult. People are not returning to receive their second dose, and motivating them poses complex challenges.

Children have been out of school for over a year, raising worries about students falling behind. In India this month, some states have started allowing schools to reopen. But in Delhi, many are choosing to stay away, over fears of a third wave.

US coronavirus cases on the rise: Epidemiologist Peter Chin-Hong speaks to DW

The total number of omicron cases detected in Germany rose sharply with the latest figures, which were the first to provide testing results and data from a working day after the Christmas break.

Kashmir's subzero temperatures in winter and a dearth of electricity are a painful mixture for locals. With a vast capacity to produce hydropower, why is so little electricity available?

As COVID restrictions are eased, small clubs are bringing people back for stand-up comedy shows. Some producers are using this opportunity to fix the skewed gender ratio in lineups as well as audiences.