Author: staff
The trial against a 21-year-old man accused of plotting to attack one of Taylor Swift’s concerts in Vienna in August 2024 is set to begin today in Austria. The plot was thwarted, but Austrian authorities still cancelled Swift’s three performances in August 2024 as part of her Eras Tour. The Austrian man, named only as Beran A. – in line with Austrian privacy rules – has been charged with terrorism and other offences including membership in a terrorist organisation. He allegedly networked with members of the jihadist group Islamic State ahead of the planned attack, which allegedly aimed to target…
Iran has defied the odds and scored a major victory over the world number one, Trump. It wasn’t in the Strait of Hormuz, however, but on the snooker table. In a shock result, Iran’s Hossein Vafaei defeated England’s Judd Trump at the World Snooker Championship to advance to the quarterfinals. Vafaei, who had to go through several qualifying rounds to make it to the tournament, beat Trump, the world’s top-ranked player, by 13 frames to 12. “I’m not scared of anyone and all of them know that,” Vafaei told the BBC after his big win in Sheffield, England. Vafaei is…
Published on 28/04/2026 – 9:44 GMT+2 The Champions League semi-finals kick off on Tuesday night — but if you expect real drama only on the pitch, look closer at the accounts. While everyone watches the twenty-two players chase a ball, your reporter is following the money to witness a high-stakes clash between entirely different visions of how to build a global sporting empire. Let’s take a look at it together. First, we have Paris Saint-Germain. Owned by Qatar Sports Investments, PSG has transcended football to become a global lifestyle brand. And at the centre is Nasser Al-Khelaifi, the most prominent…
Published on 28/04/2026 – 8:34 GMT+2 Look what you made her do… Taylor Swift has applied to trademark her voice and image in what seems to be an attempt to protect herself from artificial intelligence impersonations. The pop superstar has lodged three trademark applications in the US. One using a photo of herself on stage during her Eras Tour; the other two being audio clips of her introducing herself while promoting her last album, ‘The Life Of A Showgirl’. Here is the visual image protected by Swift: “By registering specific phrases tied to her voice, Swift could potentially challenge not…
The record-breaking disruption to the global energy supply triggered by the closure of the Strait of Hormuz is the main cause of the crisis. The International Energy Agency (IEA) warned a daily loss of approximately 13 million barrels. And in just the first 17 days of the Iran war, the EU was forced to spend an additional €6 billion on fossil fuel imports due to soaring prices. To ensure energy independence and affordability, Brussels turning its attention back to the nuclear sector, fixing a grid that renewables alone cannot stabilise. This pivot marks a transition toward a strategic “energy mix”,…
A heavy snowfall hit Moscow overnight on Monday, leading to falling trees and traffic disruptions. More than 200 snow-laden trees fell, damaging cars and power lines, city authorities said. Several trains and more than 50 flights were delayed. A new record for snow depth on April 27 was set in Moscow, with snow cover reaching 12 centimeters. The severe weather was caused by a deep Baltic cyclone, the center of which has moved north of the European part of Russia. According to forecasts, the snowfall is expected to continue until Tuesday evening in the Russian capital, bringing a full month’s…
Digital ID kerfuffle The app the Commission issued this month is the latest hiccup in a years-long effort to get tech apps up and running to check the age of internet users. Brussels and EU member capitals have already spent two years working on “digital identity wallets,” which should be available across Europe by the end of 2026. But the EU executive announced last July it would roll out a “mini-wallet” designed to help tech platforms check the age of their users, as worries mounted about the impact of social media on the health of children. The mini-wallet was meant to come out before the broader digital ID apps; it’s the one the Commission showcased in mid-April and is officially recommending to…
Updated: 28/04/2026 – 7:00 GMT+2 Catch up with the most important stories from around Europe and beyond this April 28th, 2026 – latest news, breaking news, World, Business, Entertainment, Politics, Culture, Travel. … More
By Theo Farrant & AP Published on 28/04/2026 – 7:00 GMT+2 A new experimental town near Mount Fuji is being developed in Japan as a large-scale testbed for robotics, artificial intelligence, and autonomous, zero-emissions transport in everyday life. The settlement, which currently spans about 47,000 square metres, is already partially inhabited, with early residents moving through streets shared with autonomous vehicles, delivery robots and AI-driven systems. ‘Woven City’ is being developed by Toyota, and is named as a nod to the Japanese manufacturing company’s origins in textile loom manufacturing. “Woven City aims to collaborate with mobility from the perspective of social infrastructure. By…
Listen on Spotify Apple Music Amazon Music Today on the pod, we’re talking money, money, money. An important vote on the EU’s next long-term budget is happening in the European Parliament. Zoya and Nick discuss how lawmakers are pushing for a bigger cash pot … which will likely cause a stir with some countries. We unpack the battle lines already starting to form. Also, the College of Commissioners is meeting in Strasbourg to discuss how drafting legislation could be made more efficient — although critics warn this could weaken important safeguards. Plus, last week the Commission unveiled an age verification app…