World
- WorldAssociated Press
Barcelona to get floating desalination plant to help fight drought in northeastern Spain
Spain’s drought-stricken region of Catalonia will install a floating desalination plant to help the city of Barcelona guarantee its drinking water supply, regional authorities said Thursday. Barcelona already relies on Europe’s largest desalination plant for domestic use to compensate over three years of below average rainfall that have led to a historic drought made worse by climate change. Now Spain’s second-largest city will get a temporary second desalination plant in its port later this y
1 min read - WorldBBC
Burkina Faso's pro-Russia junta expels French diplomats
The junta has accused three diplomats of "subversive activities", which France has denied.
2 min read - Worlddpa international
Suspected spies for Russia held in Germany over possible attack plans
Two men have been arrested in Germany accused of spying for Russia and seeking to undermine German support for Ukraine, prosecutors and politicians said on Thursday. The two German-Russian nationals, identified only as Dieter S and Alexander J due to Germany's strict privacy laws, were taken into custody on Wednesday in the Bavarian city of Bayreuth, the office of the Federal Public Prosecutor General said. "Our security authorities have prevented possible explosive attacks that were intended to
2 min read - Businessdpa international
Turkey's first EV, the selfie-taking Togg T10X, is smart as it gets
Turkey is hardly known for its car industry but the innovative first electric SUV from the Bosphorus, packed with AI, selfie cameras and other high-tech features, has attracted a lot of attention both at home and abroad. President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan was given the keys to the first example from Turkey's Automobile Initiative Group (TOGG) and the debut shows that far off China is not thre only country that can compete with the big automotive boys in Europe and North America. Togg said it plans t
5 min read - WorldBloomberg
Arnault Says He Hopes Tensions With China on Luxury Quiet Down
(Bloomberg) -- Billionaire Bernard Arnault said he hopes a planned visit to France next month by China’s Xi Jinping will help smooth trade relations between Paris and Beijing.Most Read from BloombergDubai Grinds to Standstill as Flooding Hits CityElon Wants His Money BackSingapore Loses ‘World’s Best Airport’ Crown to QatarRecord Rainfall in Dubai? Blame Climate Change, Not Cloud SeedingRed Lobster Considers Bankruptcy to Deal With Leases and Labor Costs“I hope the economic tensions will quiet d
1 min read - WorldAFP
French PM announces crackdown on teen school violence
French Prime Minister Gabriel Attal on Thursday announced measures to crack down on teenage violence in and around schools, as the government seeks to reclaim ground on security from the far-right two months ahead of European elections.Macron and Attal face an uphill struggle to reverse the tide ahead of the European elections.
2 min read - LifestyleTasting Table
Spain's Combinación Honors A Long-Established Cocktail Culture
Ever heard of the Combinación? A simple concoction, the drink holds a special place in Spain's cocktail culture - though it once fell victim to time immemorial.
2 min read - Worlddpa international
Germany arrests two suspected of spying for Russia, planning attacks
Two German-Russian nationals have been arrested in southern Germany on suspicion of spying for Russia, with one suspect accused of discussing possible acts of sabotage directed at military facilities to thwart aid to Ukraine, prosecutors said on Thursday. The two men, identified only as Dieter S and Alexander J due to Germany's strict privacy laws, were taken into custody on suspicion of espionage on Wednesday in the Bavarian city of Bayreuth, the office of the Federal Public Prosecutor General
2 min read - WorldBloomberg
Germany Arrests Two Alleged Russian Spies Planning Sabotage
(Bloomberg) -- German authorities arrested two men suspected of spying for Russia and membership of a terror group planning acts of sabotage, in a case the interior minister called “particularly serious.”Most Read from BloombergDubai Grinds to Standstill as Flooding Hits CityElon Wants His Money BackSingapore Loses ‘World’s Best Airport’ Crown to QatarRecord Rainfall in Dubai? Blame Climate Change, Not Cloud SeedingRed Lobster Considers Bankruptcy to Deal With Leases and Labor CostsThe Federal P
2 min read - WorldAssociated Press
2 people smugglers sentenced to 9 years each in Spain for drowning deaths of migrants
Two people smugglers have been sentenced to nine years each in prison for the deaths of four Moroccan migrants who drowned after they were forced to jump out of a boat last year near the Spanish enclave of Ceuta in North Africa, prosecutors said Thursday. The prosecutor’s office in Ceuta said the sentences were decided on without trial after a plea deal was reached with the two men. The office said the pair — one from Ceuta and a Moroccan resident — picked up nine young men in a recreational b
2 min read - Worlddpa international
Germany arrests two suspected of spying for Russia
Two German-Russian nationals have been arrested in southern Germany on suspicion of spying for Russia, with one suspect accused of discussing possible acts of sabotage, prosecutors said on Thursday. The two men, identified only as Dieter S and Alexander J due to Germany's strict privacy laws, were taken into custody on suspicion of espionage on Wednesday in the Bavarian city of Bayreuth, the office of the Federal Public Prosecutor General said. Dieter S is accused of exchanging information about
1 min read - Worlddpa international
Germany won't be intimidated by Putin's spies, minister says
Germany will not be intimidated by Russian attempts at espionage, Interior Minister Nancy Faeser said following the arrest of two suspected spies for Russia. "Our security authorities have prevented possible explosive attacks that were intended to target and undermine our military aid for Ukraine," Faeser said on Thursday. Two German-Russian nationals were arrested in southern Germany on suspicion of spying for Russia, with one suspect accused of discussing possible acts of sabotage directed at
1 min read - Worlddpa international
Germany's Baerbock says Iran 'must be isolated'
German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock has called for a tougher stance against Tehran following the Iranian drone and missile attack on Israel, but has also warned against an expansion of the conflict. "Iran must be isolated. And at the same time, there must be no further escalation," she said on Thursday on the sidelines of the meeting of foreign ministers from the G7 major industrialized nations in Capri in Italy. "Of course there must be a response to this unprecedented incident," but a fu
1 min read - WorldAFP
Posts share unrelated photos to claim tourist was severely beaten in S. Sudan
Months after South Sudan signed a deal with the Africa Tourism Board to boost its tourism industry hurt by years of civil war, a Facebook user published several photos claiming they showed a local attacking a tourist who ended up in hospital. According to the post, the images proved why “tourists don’t visit South Sudan”. But AFP Fact Check found this to be misleading: the pictures feature a Sudanese tour guide lightly wrestling with a white man to demonstrate the popular local sport. They also
4 min read - Worlddpa international
Ukraine, Russia report downing drones, missiles in overnight attacks
Ukraine and Russia each reported thwarting drone and missile attacks launched by the other side overnight. Ukrainian air defences destroyed all 13 incoming drones launched by Russia towards seven regions, the air force said. No damage from falling debris has so far been reported. Germany Economy Minister Robert Habeck, who arrived in Kiev on Thursday for talks, was informed of the latest Russian assault. An air raid alert also sounded in the Ukrainian capital during his visit in the morning. In
1 min read - WorldReuters
The last women standing in a Serbian village swallowed by mine
The women are nurses, school teachers, students and housewives. Nearly two-dozen women are at the centre of a battle to have their village in eastern Serbia relocated away from a copper mine that they say has polluted their land and water and ruined the surrounding countryside. Since January, when the men of the village go to work, the women have taken turns guarding a barricade on a bridge in Krivelj to stop trucks from entering the mine, which is operated by China's Zijin Mining.
2 min read - Worlddpa international
Leading far-right politician on trial in Germany for Nazi slogan
A leading member of Germany's far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party went on trial on Thursday for using a banned Nazi slogan, as hundreds demonstrated outside the courtroom against his party's policies. The AfD chairman in the state of Thuringia, Björn Höcke, is in court in the eastern city of Halle to face allegations that he knowingly used a banned slogan of the Storm Troopers (SA), the Nazi paramilitary fighting organization, during a speech in 2021. A controversial figure within the
2 min read - WorldBBC
German spying: Two suspected spies arrested in Bavaria
The German-Russian nationals are suspected of planning to sabotage German military help for Ukraine.
2 min read - WorldBloomberg
Le Pen’s Party Wants the ECB to Help Fund the Green Transition
(Bloomberg) -- The far-right party of Marine Le Pen, which is on course to trounce French President Emmanuel Macron’s group in this year’s European elections, wants the European Central Bank to resume quantitative easing to help fund climate investment.Most Read from BloombergDubai Grinds to Standstill as Flooding Hits CityElon Wants His Money BackSingapore Loses ‘World’s Best Airport’ Crown to QatarRecord Rainfall in Dubai? Blame Climate Change, Not Cloud SeedingRed Lobster Considers Bankruptcy
2 min read - WorldBloomberg
Modi’s 100-Day Agenda Includes $1.2 Billion New Cities Plan
(Bloomberg) -- Sign up for the India Edition newsletter by Menaka Doshi – an insider's guide to the emerging economic powerhouse, and the billionaires and businesses behind its rise, delivered weekly.Most Read from BloombergDubai Grinds to Standstill as Flooding Hits CityElon Wants His Money BackSingapore Loses ‘World’s Best Airport’ Crown to QatarRecord Rainfall in Dubai? Blame Climate Change, Not Cloud SeedingRed Lobster Considers Bankruptcy to Deal With Leases and Labor CostsIndian government
3 min read - Worlddpa international
German vice chancellor arrives in Kiev with business delegation
German Vice Chancellor Robert Habeck arrived in Kiev on Thursday for a visit focused on Russian attacks on Ukraine's energy infrastructure, emergency aid, and strengthening the country's economy. Habeck, who also serves as economy minister, is accompanied by a business delegation. The trip comes as Germany prepares to put on the next Ukraine Recovery Conference in Berlin on June 11 and 12. German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky are jointly hosting the internatio
1 min read - Worlddpa international
State-level leader of Germany's AfD to stand trial for Nazi slogan
A leading member of Germany's far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party is due to stand trial on Thursday for allegedly using a banned Nazi slogan. The AfD chairman in the state of Thuringia, Björn Höcke, goes on trial in the city of Halle on allegations that he used a banned slogan of the Storm Troopers (SA), the Nazi paramilitary fighting organization, in two speeches. He is charged with using symbols of unconstitutional and terrorist organizations. Before the trial began, the former histo
2 min read - WorldAssociated Press
How South Africa's former leader Zuma turned on his allies and became a surprise election foe
South Africa faces an unusual national election this year, its seventh vote since transitioning from white minority rule to a democracy 30 years ago. Polls and analysts warn that for the first time, the ruling African National Congress party that has comfortably held power since Nelson Mandela became the country's first Black president in 1994 might receive less than 50% of votes. One big reason is Jacob Zuma, the former president and ANC leader who stepped down in disgrace in 2018 amid a swir
4 min read - WorldAssociated Press
Prominent figure in German far-right party stands trial over alleged use of Nazi slogan
One of the most prominent figures in the far-right Alternative for Germany party went on trial Thursday on charges of using a Nazi slogan, months before a regional election in which he plans to run to become his state's governor. Björn Höcke, 52, is the leader of the regional branch of Alternative for Germany, or AfD, in the eastern state of Thuringia and a powerful figure on the party’s hard right. While never formally a national leader of AfD, the former history teacher has been consistently
3 min read - WorldBBC
Spy scandal revives fears of Austrian exposure to Russia
Egisto Ott was detained last month on suspicion of spying for Russia, prompting a raft of allegations.
3 min read - WorldBloomberg
Thailand, New Zealand Agree to Resume Direct Flights
(Bloomberg) -- Thailand and New Zealand have agreed to resume direct flights after the pandemic shut air connectivity as leaders of the two countries vowed to triple bilateral trade in the next two decades. Most Read from BloombergDubai Grinds to Standstill as Flooding Hits CityElon Wants His Money BackSingapore Loses ‘World’s Best Airport’ Crown to QatarRecord Rainfall in Dubai? Blame Climate Change, Not Cloud SeedingRed Lobster Considers Bankruptcy to Deal With Leases and Labor CostsThe two co
1 min read - WorldBloomberg
Petro Proposes Safeguards for Loser of Venezuela Election
(Bloomberg) -- Colombia’s President Gustavo Petro, acting as a mediator in Venezuela’s political crisis, is proposing a democratic pact between the government of Nicolas Maduro and the opposition to ensure that the loser of the upcoming presidential election is shielded from any type of political persecution. Most Read from BloombergDubai Grinds to Standstill as Flooding Hits CityElon Wants His Money BackSingapore Loses ‘World’s Best Airport’ Crown to QatarRecord Rainfall in Dubai? Blame Climate
1 min read - Worlddpa international
EU leaders agree sanctions on Iran for Israel attack
European Union leaders agreed late on Wednesday on new sanctions targeting Iran for the direct attack on Israel. The EU has decided "to put in place sanctions against Iran," European Council President Charles Michel told reporters in the early hours of Thursday morning after the first day of a two-day summit. "The idea is to target the companies that are needed for the drones, for the missiles," he said. Further details are to be finalized, he added. "The European Union will take further restric
4 min read - WorldBloomberg
Milei Proposes Encounter With Lula After Mutual Insults
(Bloomberg) -- Argentina’s President Javier Milei has extended an olive branch to Brazil’s Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, whom he has repeatedly called a “communist,” by proposing an encounter to thaw high-level relations between the neighboring countries.Most Read from BloombergDubai Grinds to Standstill as Flooding Hits CityElon Wants His Money BackSingapore Loses ‘World’s Best Airport’ Crown to QatarRecord Rainfall in Dubai? Blame Climate Change, Not Cloud SeedingRed Lobster Considers Bankruptcy
2 min read - USDeseret News
Can a corpse take out a loan?
No, but that didn’t stop one woman in Brazil from trying, after wheeling a dead man into a bank and asking him to sign papers
2 min read - WorldPOWER Magazine
South Korean Nuclear Power Plant Will Assess Feasibility of Medical Isotope Production
Framatome and Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power (KHNP) have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to demonstrate the feasibility of producing non-carrier added lutetium-177, a medical isotope used for a […]
2 min read - WorldINSIDER
Japan showed off the destroyer it's turning into an aircraft carrier for F-35 stealth fighters
Japan hasn't flown fighter jets from carriers since World War II, but it's building out its capabilities amid the concerns about China.
4 min read - WorldINSIDER
Iran and Israel dragged their shadow war out of the dark, and it's much more dangerous now
Iran has historically relied on proxy forces to attack Israel, but last weekend it launched direct strikes from its territory for the first time.
5 min read - WorldAccuWeather
Indonesia's Ruang volcano erupts in spectacular fashion
Hundreds of people in Indonesia's North Sulawesi province were evacuated Wednesday after eruptions of the Ruang volcano. Most of the island's 800 residents were evacuated to nearby Tagulandang Island amid fears it could trigger a tsunami, Reuters reported. According to the Center for Volcanology and Geological Disaster Mitigation, over 1,000 earthquakes occurred two days prior to Wednesday's eruption, while the volcano spewed lava and ash clouds into the sky in smaller eruptions. Indonesia's Rua
1 min read - USUnited Press International
Stowaway snake causes delay for bullet train in Japan
One of Japan's famously punctual high-speed bullet trains experienced a rare 17-minute delay when a snake was found in a passenger car.
1 min read - Worlddpa international
EU foreign affairs chief: Don't let Iran distract from Gaza crisis
Iran's attack on Israel on Saturday mustn't take attention away from the humanitarian situation in Gaza, the EU's foreign affairs chief warned on Wednesday. "The latest escalation in the Middle East must not make us forget Gaza. Palestinians have the right to humanitarian aid. Israel must guarantee access & safety for aid workers," Josep Borrell posted on X, formerly known as Twitter. EU leaders are meeting in Brussels on Wednesday and Thursday ostensibly to discuss economic matters, but rising
1 min read - Worlddpa international
EU leaders call for calm as Israel-Iran situation threatens to spiral
European Union leaders in Brussels on Wednesday appealed for calm to prevail as Israel mulls a response to a direct attack from Iran amid the prospect of escalating tensions in the Middle East. German Chancellor Olaf Scholz urged Israel not to retaliate against Iran with a "massive attack of its own" in an appeal for calm on his arrival at the two-day summit. Austrian Chancellor Karl Nehammer said “all efforts are now being made to contain the conflict so that it does not become a conflagration,
4 min read - WorldBBC
Passions run high as Lords insist on Rwanda bill changes
Peers continue standoff with MPs over legislation enabling asylum seekers to be sent to east Africa.
4 min read - USModesto Bee
Caifornia zoo announces the birth of an endangered animal. See the adorable photos
They’re found natively only in Madagascar.
1 min read - BusinessModern Car Collector
Audi’s Skorpion Concept Turns Up in German Museum
Audi’s exploration into hybrid supercar technology, initiated under the guidance of former R&D chief Wolfgang Dürheimer, has finally been revealed with the Skorpion concept now on public display at the August Horch Museum in Zwickau, Germany. The project, which was closely guarded and never officially announced, illustrates what could have been Audi’s step above the celebrated R8. Image via August Horch Museum The Skorpion concept, inspired by Audi’s formidable R18 Le Mans sports prototypes, com
2 min read - WorldAssociated Press
Belarus' parliament votes to leave Europe's conventional forces treaty already abandoned by Russia
The Belarusian parliament on Wednesday voted to suspend the country's participation in the Conventional Forces in Europe treaty that once was a key security doctrine for the continent, a 1990 agreement that was abandoned last year by Russia. The bill, introduced by authoritarian President Alexander Lukashenko earlier this month, could pave the way for Belarus — Russia’s ally in the war in Ukraine — to expand its military. Belarus lawmakers unanimously approved the bill calling for the treaty's
2 min read - WorldAssociated Press
Tsunami alert after a volcano in Indonesia has several big eruptions and thousands are told to leave
Indonesian authorities issued a tsunami alert Wednesday after eruptions at Ruang mountain sent ash thousands of feet high. Officials ordered more than 11,000 people to leave the area. The volcano on the northern side of Sulawesi island had at least five large eruptions in the past 24 hours, Indonesia’s Center for Volcanology and Geological Disaster Mitigation said.
1 min read - Worlddpa international
German chancellor urges Israel not to retaliate after Iran attack
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz urged Israel not to respond to Iran's direct attack with a "massive attack of its own" in an appeal for calm. Scholz called for further de-escalation and for Israel to now use the successful defence against Iran's missile and drone attack "to strengthen its own position in the entire region." On this basis, "a corresponding military response would certainly not be appropriate," Scholz said on his arrival to a meeting of EU leaders. The German chancellor said the Eur
1 min read - Worlddpa international
Recognize Palestine, Irish prime minister to tell EU leaders
Ireland's new prime minister said on Wednesday he will use his first EU summit in Brussels to encourage other EU leaders to recognize a Palestinian state. Simon Harris said he intended to convey the need for "a number of European states to now move ahead and recognize the state of Palestine," Harris told reporters as he arrived at the summit on Wednesday. "If you believe in a two-state solution, I think such positive momentum could be helpful and could be important," he said. Noting the recent v
1 min read - ScienceGizmodo
Humans Sheltered in This Lava Tube for Thousands of Years
Three needs are famously fundamental to survival: food, water, and shelter. According to new research, ancient humans had at least two of those three needs met by a nearly mile-long lava tube about 77 miles (125 kilometers) north of Medina, Saudi Arabia, for at least 7,000 years.
3 min read - ScienceLive Science
Humans were living in a lava tube 7,000 years ago on the Arabian Peninsula
An analysis of a lava tube in Saudi Arabia reveals that humans have lived there for at least 7,000 years.
5 min read - WorldBBC
'I’m in pieces' - Israeli hostage's agony over husband held in Gaza by Hamas
Aviva Siegel tells the BBC of the brutal conditions she, Keith and others faced in Hamas captivity.
7 min read - WorldAssociated Press
The U.N. rights chief says eastern Congo's escalating violence is being forgotten by the world
The world is forgetting the escalating violence in eastern Congo as conflicts continue in places like Ukraine and Gaza, the U.N. human rights chief said Wednesday while visiting the region and calling for peace and support for millions repeatedly displaced. Eastern Congo has long been overrun by more than 120 armed groups seeking to control the region's rich resources as they carry out mass killings. Hundreds of thousands have been displaced in recent months, worsening one of the world’s large
2 min read - BusinessBloomberg
Trudeau’s Ex-Finance Minister Criticizes Capital Gains Tax Hike
(Bloomberg) -- Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s former finance minister said he rejected the idea of hiking the capital gains tax while in office due to concerns it would stunt Canada’s economic growth, and called the move “very troubling for many investors.”Most Read from BloombergDubai Grinds to Standstill as Flooding Hits CityElon Wants His Money BackSingapore Loses ‘World’s Best Airport’ Crown to QatarRecord Rainfall in Dubai? Blame Climate Change, Not Cloud SeedingRed Lobster Considers Bankr
3 min read - Worlddpa international
United Nations asks for billions for Gaza aid operations
The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) has said it needs billions of dollars this year to help the suffering population of the Gaza Strip and the Israeli-occupied West Bank. Donor countries are being asked to provide an additional $2.8 billion for 3.3 million people by the end of the year, OCHA announced in Geneva on Wednesday. Most of the money, around $2.5 billion, is earmarked for the Palestinians in the sealed-off Gaza Strip. The total requirement is ac
1 min read
