Author: staff

The European Commission hasn’t yet found a lead scientific adviser for its AI Office despite receiving “dozens of applications”, and the rules on General-Purpose AI (GPAI) kicking in on 2 August.The recruitment process is still ongoing despite the job vacancy being opened between November and December last year, a senior official working at the AI Office told Euronews. The adviser’s role will be to “ensure an advanced level of scientific understanding on General-Purpose AI (GPAI).”“They will lead the scientific approach on General-Purpose AI on all aspects of the work of the AI Office, ensuring scientific rigor and integrity of AI…

PARIS — A group of leading French cryptocurrency entrepreneurs and their families will receive enhanced security following two successful kidnappings and one abduction attempt involving industry leaders and their loved ones. The measures include priority access to the police emergency line, home visits and safety briefings from law enforcement to advise on best practices, the French interior ministry said. Law enforcement officers will also undergo “anti-crypto asset laundering training.” “These repeated kidnappings of professionals in the crypto sector will be fought with specific tools, both immediate and short-term, to prevent, dissuade and hinder in order to protect the industry,” Interior…

The drama is set and the stage is ready – after two semi-finals, 26 countries have earned their place in the grand final of the 69th Eurovision Song Contest, where they will compete in front of thousands of fans in Basel’s St Jakobshalle arena, and millions watching around the world. Last night’s second semi-final saw the likes of classically trained Austrian countertenor JJ and Malta’s Miriana Conte make it through, while surprisingly Ireland’s Emmy and Australia’s very own “Milkshake Man” Go-Jo (two of Euronews Culture’s favourite picks) both missed the cut. But it wasn’t just the music making headlines. For…

This weekend, residents of Spain’s Canary Islands are coming out in force to protest against mass tourism. People on the archipelago have been growing increasingly vocal about its struggles with visitor numbers. Last year, locals held multiple protests to highlight overtourism’s strain on local infrastructure and housing availability. They look set to continue again this summer as residents say little has been done to tackle the problem. Protests planned across Spain against overtourismOn Sunday, 18 May, residents of the Canary Islands will take to the streets to join protests organised by campaign group Canarias tiene un límite (The Canary Islands have a limit). Demonstrations…

Police in Slovenia are investigating the disappearance of a bronze statue of US first lady Melania Trump.The life-size sculpture was unveiled in 2020 during President Donald Trump’s first term in office near Sevnica in central Slovenia, where Melanija Knavs was born in 1970. It replaced a wooden statue by US artist Brad Downey which had been torched by unkown aronists earlier that year.Police spokeswoman Alenka Drenik Rangus said Friday that the police were informed about the theft of the statue on Tuesday. She said police were working to track down those responsible. According to Slovenian media reports, the bronze replica was…

The head of the EU executive also said the Commission would look to lower the oil price cap, a limit on the sales price for Russian crude oil which is decided at G7 level. Targeting Russia’s energy and banking sectors would have a “real impact” on the Kremlin, but doing so would be tricky because of Hungarian opposition, an EU diplomat, who was granted anonymity to discuss the preparations, told POLITICO earlier this week. Asked by POLITICO whether the United States was on board with the new raft of sanctions, von der Leyen said she was “in close contact with Senator…

The walk home after a Final Destination movie is rife with anxiety. Is that jagged beer can in the street about to be catapulted into my neck by a sudden breeze? And why is that construction worker up ahead… carrying a power tool?! Originally an X-Files spec script by Jeffrey Reddick — inspired by a news story about a woman that got off a plane after her mother had a premonition — each Final Destination film revolves around a bunch of foolish kids trying to outrun death’s devious dice rolls. While predictable and gawky in that 2000s teen horror way, the…

“The pope plans to make the Vatican, the Holy See, available for a direct meeting between the two sides,” said Parolin, Pope Leo’s No. 2, according to news agency Ansa. Leo XIV, who was elected last week, has made it clear that working for peace in Ukraine will be a major priority of his pontificate. He spoke to President Volodymyr Zelenskyy by phone on Sunday, and referred to “the suffering of the beloved Ukrainian people” in his first Sunday blessing in St. Peter’s Square. At an audience with Eastern Church representatives on Wednesday, Leo appealed to the two leaders “with…

Punitive tariffs on Russian imports are under discussion, two European officials said. The EU has imposed sizable sanctions on Moscow since it launched its 2022 invasion but have held back from a total trade embargo against Russia. Imposing EU tariffs had previously been floated as a option to bypass Hungary’s opposition to sanctions. On Wednesday, EU ambassadors agreed to a 17th sanctions package against Russia that included targeting almost 200 ships of the so-called shadow fleet, used to bypass existing sanctions on oil and gas exports.   The direct talks between Kyiv and Moscow, the first since shortly after the…

Ukraine and Russia began their meeting in Turkey on Friday in the first attempt at a ceasefire negotiation and a format that also includes representatives of US and Turkey. Attending the NATO foreign ministers meeting in Antalya, the US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Washington does not have high expectations for the Friday meeting outcome. “Frankly, at this point, I think it’s abundantly clear that the only way we’re going to have a breakthrough here is between President (Donald) Trump and President (Vladimir) Putin,” Rubio said.But until that point is reached, this is how the Friday agenda looks: Rubio has…