Author: staff
Published on 27/04/2026 – 11:42 GMT+2 Germany recorded 2,656 conscientious objector applications in the first three months of 2026, more than two-thirds of the total registered across the whole of 2025, according to the Federal Office of Family Affairs and Civil Society Functions (BAFzA). The figures, reported by the Neue Osnabrücker Zeitung, compare with 3,867 applications for the entirety of 2025 and roughly 3,000 in 2024. If the current rate holds, 2026 would see more conscientious objector applications than any year since Germany suspended compulsory military service in 2011. The rise follows the entry into force of new military service…
OpenAI is less concerned with artificial general intelligence (AGI) than it was almost a decade ago and is instead prioritising a broader rollout of its technology, according to a new mission statement for the company. On Sunday, OpenAI published an update to the company’s “Our Principles” document, which sets out how the company will run its technology in the future. There are some key differences between this new set of principles and what the company prioritised almost a decade ago, when it was a nascent non-profit artificial intelligence (AI) research organisation. De-emphasis on artificial general intelligence In 2018, OpenAI was…
Alongside German conservative leaders in Berlin Monday, however, von der Leyen sought to present a united front with her conservative ideological counterparts in Germany, saying the Commission’s goals on deregulation aligned with theirs. “We are deeply committed to this issue,” von der Leyen said. “This is also evident in the document before us, which incorporates many of our considerations,” she said of the German strategy paper. “We are determined to bring about change so that in Europe and in the member states we can more quickly and effectively create an environment where companies can grow and develop the global competitiveness…
By Matthieu Durand with AFP Published on 27/04/2026 – 13:11 GMT+2•Updated 13:34 French prison guards blockaded facilities across the country on Monday, with 14 of 17 prisons in the Hauts-de-France region shut down in protest at chronic overcrowding and staff shortages, in a strike called by the UFAP-UNSA union. Guards also demonstrated at prisons in Bois-d’Arcy near Paris, Lyon-Corbas and Villeneuve-lès-Maguelone in the south, in some cases preventing prisoner transfers. Guards shut the prison gates in Beauvais, Amiens, Douai and Béthune. The UFAP-UNSA union is demanding emergency measures to fill an estimated 5,000 vacant guard posts. The FO union, which represents around 30%…
Hundreds of runners dressed in costumes took part in the annual Maldon Mud Race in Essex, southern England, battling thick mud and river crossings in a charity event. Participants waded across the river and struggled through deep mud before racing back to the finish line, cheered on by large crowds along the banks. The event, which raises funds for local charities, combines physical endurance with a festive atmosphere, as competitors in outfits ranging from frogs to teacups embraced the messy challenge.
Aman is famed for the unique locations of its resorts, from lodges scattered across the valleys of Bhutan to tented suites on the outskirts of Rajasthan’s Ranthambore National Park. Now the fabulous location of the luxury hospitality company’s next property in the USA has been revealed: Texas Hill Country. Dubbed Amansanu, which is derived from the Sanskrit words for “peaceful peak”, the secluded ranch retreat is the brand’s sixth Stateside opening. Previous openings include Amangiri, a desert retreat in Utah’s Canyon Point, and Amangani, which boasts views of the Tetons in Wyoming and is currently undergoing refurbishments. Aman New York,…
A unique replica of an ancient merchant ship, dating back to 300 BC, sails in Cypriot waters in the framework of the Cyprus Presidency of the European Council. The ship “Kyrenia II” was built in 1985, built from the wreck discovered on the Cypriot seabed in 1965 and reassembled by a special team from the University of Pennsylvania. The replica sailed from Piraeus, where it was built, to Paphos in 1985. 41 years later, the Cypriot National Guard towed her to sail once again in Cypriot waters and showcase Cyprus’ naval tradition. Kyrenia II is often used as a floating…
The last three French presidents, on the left and right — Nicolas Sarkozy, François Hollande and Macron — chose Germany for their first official trips as heads of state, cementing the post-war French-German friendship born out of the 1963 Élysée Treaty. A Bardella presidency would mark a clear break from that tradition from day one. The 30-year-old nationalist has at times taken a softer approach to the EU than his party’s previous candidate, Marine Le Pen, who, until 2017, advocated for France to leave the European Union. Bardella said in December that he does not support a so-called Frexit and…
Amid the war in Ukraine and Trump’s criticism of NATO allies, several European states have moved to boost their own security and defence capabilities. One of the key components of a country’s defence is its military, increasingly supported in Europe by conscripted reserves. Currently, conscription measures vary greatly across the EU. At least 10 member states have conscription in place, including Austria, Cyprus, Denmark, and Estonia. Among these countries, Austria, Croatia, Cyprus, Estonia, Finland, Greece, Latvia and Lithuania make it mandatory only for men, while Denmark and Sweden make it compulsory for both men and women. Conscription in these countries…
Italian Culture Minister Alessandro Giuli will not attend the opening of the 61st Venice Biennale in protest at the presence of the Russian pavilion at the event. The Ministry of Culture announced in a note: “Minister Alessandro Giuli will not travel to Venice on the pre-opening days of the 61st Venice Biennale Art Exhibition nor will he attend the opening ceremony, scheduled for 9 May.” Moscow had not participated in the Biennale since 2022, the year of the invasion of Ukraine, but this year it decided to reopen its pavilion with the approval of the Biennale Foundation, headed by Pietrangelo…