Author: staff

US astronaut Christina Koch, the first woman to take part in a lunar mission, was named the winner of a top Spanish prize on Wednesday for having “helped extend the frontiers of humanity.” The jury of the Princess of Asturias Award for Concord said Koch’s career was an inspiration for future generations, particularly women. It reflects “humanity’s ability to overcome challenges and adversity through hard work, collaboration and empathy.” Koch, 47, was part of the four-member crew of the Artemis II mission which in April flew around the Moon, the first lunar flyby in more than 50 years. She is…

Residents said they heard explosions shortly after 2 a.m. before seeing smoke rise from the mosque. According to local imam Mohammad Khasib, 15 to 20 tyres were set on fire inside the ablution area, causing extensive damage to the building. Hebrew graffiti, including the word “revenge” and references to detainees, was sprayed on the exterior walls. The mosque is located in Area A of the occupied West Bank, which is administered by the Palestinian Authority and is generally off-limits to Israeli civilians. The incident was one of two reported attacks on mosques overnight in villages north of Ramallah. Palestinian officials…

Travel has traditionally been a time to disconnect, but between airlines adding ultra-fast wifi to cabins and keeping your friends updated via Instagram stories, our down time is starting to involve a lot more screen time. Now, a hotel chain is introducing a novel way to combat your social media use while on holiday: The “anti-appy hour”. Launched to coincide with Global Wellness Day, guests at YOTEL properties around the globe will be able to tap their phone against a Bloom card to block out digital distractions for an hour. Available at hotels in European cities including Amsterdam, Edinburgh, Glasgow,…

However, a No. 10 spokesperson said media reports that the U.K. — which has deep security and defense ties with its U.S. ally — has sought a carve out from the controls were “categorically untrue.” “We’re in regular and constructive contact with both the U.S. government and Anthropic to understand the full picture, and they’re monitoring the situation closely,” the spokesperson said. The comments are a further sign that European governments believe the incident is part of an isolated standoff between the White House and the leading AI firm and remain wary of stoking U.S. President Donald Trump’s anger by…

The Council of the European Union added 34 individuals and 47 entities to its sanctions list on 15 June — including 10 individuals and one entity accused of “spreading disinformation aimed at justifying, promoting or legitimising Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine.” In practice, this means their assets will be frozen, while EU citizens and companies will be forbidden from providing them with funds or financial assets. At first glance, some of these individuals — such as Russian-American travel influencer Alexandra Jost — may strike observers as unconventional sanction targets. Jost, who was born in Hong Kong, goes by the…

Published on 17/06/2026 – 12:44 GMT+2 Munich-based carmaker BMW AG is forecasting a “significant” decrease in its pre-tax profit this year, largely due to weakening demand in China and the impact of the Middle East crisis. BMW, owner of the BMW, MINI, Rolls-Royce and BMW Motorrad brands, cited worsening market conditions and the cost of restructuring measures in a profit warning issued on Tuesday. The announcement sent its shares down more than 7% in Europe on Wednesday morning. “BMW shares hit the brakes after guiding for a big drop in profits,” said Russ Mould, investment director at AJ Bell. “The…

Jeff Bezos took the stage at VivaTech in Paris on Wednesday to make the case that humanity must move to the moon and eventually beyond, not just for the sake of exploration but to save the planet from the effects of technology and industry. Speaking alongside Blue Origin chief executive Dave Limp in a session moderated by former NASA astronaut Mike Massimino, the Amazon founder and Blue Origin executive chairman argued that shifting heavy industry off Earth is the only scenario in which economic growth and environmental preservation can coexist. “[Our] garden planet can be returned to its pre-industrial revolution…

The next wellness tourism destination isn’t in Switzerland, Thailand, or even Bali – it’s in Saudi Arabia. Part of the Red Sea Global megaproject, AMAALA is set to feature nine luxury resorts from big names like Clinique La Prairie, Equinox and Nammos once complete. While you’ll still have to wait a while for many of these brands to open, you can now book in for a stay at Four Seasons Resort and Residences AMAALA at Triple Bay. Located on the Kingdom’s northwestern Red Sea Coast, the new property is around a two-hour drive from Shura Island, Red Sea Global’s other…

Published on 17/06/2026 – 14:00 GMT+2 For Antoni Gaudí, completing the Sagrada Familia was always a matter of time, not of imagination. He knew exactly what the six central towers should look like. What he did not know was that, more than a century later, technology would prove him right. The towers have now been completed, just in time for the centenary of the architect’s death. But behind this visual milestone there is a main player no one would expect in a cathedral of such scale: an adhesive. Specifically, Loctite EA 9497 from Henkel (source in Spanish), the product that…

The longer-term trend still shows a decrease: Since 2015, the bloc’s greenhouse gas emissions have fallen by 17 percent. Last year’s emissions also remain just below 2023 levels.  But the latest data shows that the EU’s emissions-slashing efforts have slowed in recent years. That’s despite pollution from the power sector steadily declining as more and more renewables come online, suggesting that the EU now needs to boost efforts to run sectors such as transport and heating on clean electricity rather than fossil fuels. The European Commission is expected to present a bloc-wide electrification target next month. A significant part of…