Author: staff
FIFA, the world football governing body, did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Infantino met with Trump this month to discuss a faster visa interview process for foreign World Cup spectators, calling it the “FIFA Pass,” as the U.S. maintains a tough posture on gaining entry to the country for many foreigners. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio recently emphasized that match tickets were not automatically a grant for a tourist visa. Last week, the Trump administration announced that fans from Haiti, which qualified for the World Cup for the first time since 1974, will not be granted any special exceptions…
“Hungary is interested in peace … Hungary is ready to host such talks and to provide assistance in the successful completion of this process,” Orbán told the Russian president during the meeting. Putin thanked the Hungarian leader, adding that the idea to consider Hungary as a possible spot for a meeting emerged from Washington. “It was Donald [Trump]’s proposal. He said right away: ‘We [both] have good relations with Hungary, you have, and so do I, so I am proposing this option,’” Putin said. Putin added that he would be “pleased” to come to Budapest in case “negotiations with the…
The Estonian start-up DefSecIntel has developed a mobile radar system that detects enemy combat drones. For this, the company received the innovation prize at the Milipol security technology trade fair in Paris. The idea for a drone defence wall on the EU’s external border also comes from DefSecIntel CEO Jaanus Tamm: “This will allow us to intercept drones in the border region. It is a networked platform of systems mounted on trailers or minivans.” DefSecIntel has entered into a cooperation agreement with the Latvian drone manufacturer Origin Robotics. The central element is the Blaze interceptor drone, which is already in…
Published on 28/11/2025 – 17:03 GMT+1 •Updated 17:16 The EU member states agreed on Friday to cut tariffs on US imports as outlined in a controversial trade deal agreed last summer between the European Commission and the Trump administration to the detriment of European goods. The move comes as US trade representatives urge EU capitals to fast-track the implementation of the deal which foresees the EU dropping tariffs to zero on most US industrial goods. A US delegation visited Brussels this week for talks. The idea of adding a so-called “sunset clause” – a mechanism that would end the tariff…
The French president said Education Minister Édouard Geffray is reviewing the idea. However, outlawing phones in lycée may require new lawmakers to pass new legislation. The French National Assembly voted in favor of the current ban in 2018, but that law only explicitly covers the French equivalents of preschool, kindergarten, primary school and middle school. Macron’s influence on domestic politics has waned after losing control of parliament in 2024, but the president has in recent weeks attempted to reemerge on the domestic stage with a series of appearances devoted to how he intends to take on challenges posed by social…
The European Commission wants to boost nature-based products in a bid to develop a fossil-free economy by 2040, according to its latest bioeconomy strategy, which prioritises plant-based food, natural medicines, energy from crops and trees, and even natural construction materials. The strategy, bio-based solutions could lead to more sustainable societies and economies, as their byproducts could be biodegradable or compostable, slowly disintegrating until fully decomposing. Yet critics argue there’s an underlying conflict within the Commission’s strategy, as the exploitation of nature to boost the bloc’s competitiveness could put significant pressure on finite resources and prove unsustainable in the long term.…
Published on 28/11/2025 – 14:54 GMT+1 Italian defence company Leonardo has unveiled plans for a shield powered by artificial intelligence (AI) to protect cities and critical infrastructure amid geopolitical tensions. Called the “Michelangelo Dome,” the shield was developed to protect critical infrastructure, sensitive urban areas, and assets of national and European strategic importance, the company said. “With Michelangelo, Leonardo reaffirms its commitment to developing solutions that safeguard citizens, institutions, and infrastructure by combining advanced technology, a systemic vision, and strong industrial capabilities,” said Roberto Cingolani, Leonardo’s chief executive officer and general manager. “In a world where threats evolve rapidly and…
Macron promised to push for action at the EU level, adding: “We have a geopolitical battle to fight. This is not Russian interference, it is clearly American because these platforms do not want us to bother them.” Macron’s remarks follow a week that saw renewed pressure from the U.S. over the EU’s two tech rulebooks, the DSA and the Digital Markets Act. U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick urged EU ministers on Monday to “reconsider” the rulebooks in exchange for lower U.S. steel and aluminium tariffs, in line with the American playbook of treating the EU’s tech rules as a bargaining…
Only about one in five tech companies across Europe created between 2020 and 2025 included at least one woman founder, according to the European Commission’s The Gender Investment Gap report. Even when adjusting for this disparity, companies with female founders also received less investment than firms with male founders. The highest levels of gender diversity were found in Latvia, at 27%, Italy, at 25.9 %, and Portugal, at 25.2%. These rates represent the proportion of companies with at least one female founder. In contrast, countries such as the Czech Republic (9%) and Hungary (14.4%) remain well below the European average…
Rescuers in Indonesia’s West Sumatra province searched rivers and wrecked villages on Thursday after flash floods and landslides killed at least 69 people and left 59 missing. Thousands of homes were submerged, forcing about 12,000 people to seek shelter. Teams in Tanah Datar and Agam districts pulled more bodies from the mud, including a child, as efforts continued near the Anai Valley Waterfall. Officials said some hillside villages remain cut off after roads collapsed. Heavy rain often triggers flooding and landslides across Indonesia between October and March, when unstable soil and steep terrain make rescue work slower and more dangerous.