Author: staff

Communication between Russian President Vladimir Putin and U.S. President Donald Trump is “extremely important” to an agreement on ending the war in Ukraine, the Kremlin said Friday. The comments came after Trump announced earlier Friday that he was ready to meet with Putin “as soon as we can set it up” to seek a ceasefire in the conflict. “I think it’s time for us to just do it. … We are gonna get it done,” he said. “Contacts between President Putin and Trump are extremely important in the context of the Ukrainian settlement,” said Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov during a…

Some, however, were less amused. Turkey’s Recep Tayyip Erdoğan stayed stony throughout the film, but let a slight smile slip when his version came up, a small baby with a mustache. During a speech after the film, Meloni thanked Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama for the video and for “making me feel very young again,” she said. The video could very well have been the brainchild of Rama, who has developed a reputation as a quirky figure. He was formerly a painter living in France and is known for his playful character. Earlier in the day, Rama — who was…

Tourists have been caught smuggling all kinds of stolen souvenirs home from holidays, from artefacts picked up in Pompeii to sand from Italy’s famous pink beach on the island of Sardinia. The Belgian city of Bruges is the latest victim of keepsake crime, but the item visitors have taken a fancy to is unexpected. The city council has reported the theft of dozens of cobblestones from the city centre, and suspects tourists are the culprits. Tourists suspected of pilfering Bruges’ cobblestonesBruges’ cobblestones are increasingly being pilfered from well-known spots in the UNESCO-designated historic centre, public property councillor Franky Demon reported…

Chega party lawmaker Pedro Pinto claimed a group of anti-Ventura agitators had attempted to raid the hospital, which had been obliged to adopt extraordinary security measures to keep the far-right leader safe. But the hospital’s administrators denied the claims and said no incidents had taken place. Doctors determined Ventura had suffered an esophegal spasm, a condition which leaves affected patients with severe stomach pains and is caused by abnormalities in the nerves that control the muscles used for swallowing. The far-right leader was discharged within a few hours, but he was taken to a hospital again in Setúbal on Thursday…

During the protest in the Kreuzberg district, an officer sustained serious injuries after being pulled into the crowd and kicked. He was later taken to the hospital.Several demonstrators were also hurt and received medical treatment, according to emergency services. Police temporarily detained more than 50 people on charges including assault, resisting arrest, and disturbing public order.The gathering was dispersed by the authorities in the evening.

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…