Author: staff

Published on 16/05/2026 – 12:19 GMT+2 Russian President Vladimir Putin will pay a visit to his Chinese counterpart from 19 to 20 May, just days after US President Donald Trump wrapped up a state visit to Beijing, the Kremlin has announced. In a post on Telegram, Russia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said that Putin would make the official trip “at the invitation” of Chinese President Xi Jinping, adding that it was intended to mark the 25th anniversary of the signing of the Treaty of Good-Neighborliness and Friendly Cooperation between the two nations. The pair are set to discuss ways to…

Putin and Xi “will discuss current bilateral matters, ways to further strengthen the comprehensive partnership and strategic cooperation between the Russian Federation and the People’s Republic of China, and exchange views on key international and regional matters,” according to a Kremlin statement. The Russian leader last visited China in 2025, when he signed several deals with Xi that boosted economic ties in areas such as energy and technology. China is Russia’s largest trading partner, as Moscow has shifted its economic focus to Asia after Western sanctions over Putin’s all-out invasion of Ukraine. During the Tuesday-Wednesday visit, Putin will also discuss…

Published on 16/05/2026 – 12:31 GMT+2 OpenAI has signed its first partnership with a national government bringing the paid version of ChatGPT for free to residents of Malta. OpenAI and the Government of Malta on Saturday announced a deal that will give every citizen free access to the artificial intelligence (AI) chatbot for one year through a government-led AI literacy programme. Citizens and residents registered with Malta’s online identity system can apply after completing a free online course called AI for All, developed by the University of Malta. According to the Malta Digital Innovation Authority, the course is designed to…

“Kosovo urgently needs to catch up on EU-related priorities,” Kos said during a press conference with caretaker Prime Minister Albin Kurti in Pristina. “Kosovo needs stable institutions and an effective government,” she added. Kosovo declared independence from Serbia in 2008 and applied for EU membership in 2022, but major hurdles still stand in the way of candidate status. Five EU countries — Spain, Greece, Romania, Slovakia, and Cyprus — still do not recognize Kosovo, while Belgrade also refuses to recognize its independence, which hinders the normalization of relations between the two sides. Both issues remain paramount to Kosovo’s EU path,…

No Venice Biennale has ever been apolitical, but global affairs have deeply marked this year’s edition already. A week into the 61st international art exhibition, there have been protests against Russia and Israel’s participation, pavilions closing and threats to cut funding. The atmosphere is strikingly at odds with the late curator’s vision for the event, encapsulated in the theme ‘In Minor Keys’. Koyo Kouoh aimed to reorient the show away from the “anxious cacophony of the present chaos raging through the world” to focus on softer tones of emotion, connectivity and grounding. Despite the high-profile demonstrations, the pavilions and exhibitions…

The countries sitting out this year’s 70th anniversary contest (Spain, Ireland, the Netherlands, Slovenia and Iceland) say their decision is due to Israel’s war in Gaza — which was sparked by a violent attack on Israel by Hamas militants — and the resulting humanitarian crisis it has triggered.   De Tender said the EBU is “engaging with” and “listening to” those countries to try to get them “back on board next year.” But he said in the end the public broadcasters in those countries need to listen to their audiences and make their own decisions about participation.   Those calling for Israel’s exclusion from the song contest point to the fact…

Published on 16/05/2026 – 11:28 GMT+2 The meeting of the Council of Europe Committee of Ministers concluded on Friday in Chisinau, Moldova. Top of European leaders’ agenda were unwavering support for Ukraine, the strengthening of democratic security, the fight against information manipulation and foreign interference, as well as the management of migration flows. Among the most important decisions, taken on Italy’s initiative, the standout measure is the adoption of a new interpretation of the European Convention on Human Rights, which could facilitate the expulsion of some migrants, including to “repatriation centres” in third countries. What the Council of Europe declaration…

Published on 16/05/2026 – 10:26 GMT+2 US President Donald Trump’s warning to Taiwan against formally declaring independence from China has prompted a response from the island’s foreign ministry, which reasserted that it’s a “sovereign democratic country.” During a state visit to Beijing this week, Trump said that while his policy towards Taiwan had not changed, he was against the idea of it declaring independence from China and seemingly questioned why the US would send military support in the event of an invasion. “I’m not looking to have somebody go independent and, you know, we’re supposed to travel 9,500 miles to…

Published on 16/05/2026 – 10:14 GMT+2 The Italian Foreign Ministry has issued a statement announcing that the Maldivian Coast Guard has begun dives to recover the bodies of the four missing Italian divers involved in Thursday’s incident. According to the Farnesina, Minister Antonio Tajani is in contact with Italy’s ambassador in Colombo, Damiano Francovigh (who is also responsible for the Maldives), and the honorary consul in Malé, Giorgia Marazzi. They are on board the Coast Guard support vessel “Ghazee” to follow the recovery operations. Eight Maldivian divers are currently taking turns in the water. The first two, ministry sources confirm,…

Published on 16/05/2026 – 8:45 GMT+2 US and Nigerian forces have successfully carried out an operation to eliminate an Islamic State leader, US President Donald Trump said. In a post on Truth Social, Trump said Abu-Bilal al-Minuki, IS’s second in command globally, “thought he could hide in Africa, but little did he know we had sources who kept us informed on what he was doing.” “He will no longer terrorize the people of Africa, or help plan operations to target Americans,” he added. Trump, who described al-Minuki as “the most active terrorist in the world,” went on to thank the…