DW reporter Stefan Nestler is still onboard the research vessel "Sonne," currently sailing off the coast of New Zealand. His blogging stint has about run its course but you can still catch up on all the developments on the Methane Blog.

This blog is just one of many contributions to DW's future now project, which is exploring the science of tomorrow. Check it out and explore several different topics in four categories: environment, communication, mobility and health.

Also a great chance to check out the latest DW WebDoc Arsenic in the water about the current situation in Bangladesh.

 

Jean-Philippe from Cameroon, Diandra from Romania and Minjie from China all have something in common: They are learning German with Deutsche Welle. They are also all part of a new series on our language-learning portal called CommunityD – das Porträt.

Each month, we will be presenting a new pair of language learners from around the world. In total, more than 120 individuals will be highlighted and explain (in German), why they are learning German, what "typical German" means or what their favorite German word is.

DW's German learning community is growing daily. "Learn German with Deutsche Welle" already has more than 37,000 fans on Facebook.

 

Deutsche Welle was recognized this past week by the New York Festivals and World Media Festival in Hamburg for its work in television and online.

New York Festivals recognize the "World's Best Work" in news, sports, documentary, information and entertainment program as well as in music videos, infomercials, promotion spots, openings and ID's.

Deutsche Welle received a Finalist Certificate in the Human Interest category for its segment entitled "Money for freedom". It also picked up a Bronze World Medal for Best Animation for "Walled In! – The inner German border". The series "Global Ideas" also went away with a Finalist Certificate for Information/Magazine Opener & Titles.

At the World Media Festival in Hamburg, Deutsche Well picked up four awards for its series "Politik Direkt". 

DW today announced the winners of the 2011 Deutsche Welle Blog Awards – The BOBs.

An international jury of blog and media experts awarded honors in six multilingual categories. The awards will be presented as part of the Deutsche Welle Global Media Forum on June 20, 2011 in Bonn, Germany.

Best Blog went to "A Tunisian Girl", a blog written by Lina Ben Mhenni, a 27-year-old assistant professor at the University of Tunis. She has blogged about repression and censorship in her country since 2007 – long before a popular uprising unseated former president Ben Ali. During the protests in December 2010 and January 2011 she traveled to places including Sidi Bouzid and Kasrine to document the repression and killings occurring there. She now keeps a careful watch on political developments in the new Tunisia. ().

A list of all the User Prize winners can be seen here.

DW will also be hosting a panel discussion with jury members from The BOBs later today (April 12) in Bonn.

Winners will receive their prizes at the Global Media Forum in Bonn on June 20, 2011.

To accompany our new series Coming Home, our team from New Media has put together an interactive website highlighting our series' stars. Coming Home follows individuals – who now live in Germany – as they travel back to their roots.

Check out Coming Home