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Ford’s Capri returns as electric SUV
Ford has returned one of its most famous nameplates for its latest electric model – Capri. Launched in the late 1960s the original Capri came on song in the 1980s where its long bonnet and muscle-car focus made it a European interpretation of America’s famous ‘pony cars’. Built in the UK for much of its life, the Capri claimed cult status on these shores, appearing in a number of iconic television shows such as The Professionals. Having retired for decades, the Capri name is now used for a completely different vehicle – an electric SUV. Sitting atop the MEB platform used underneath a...
Poland says thousands of Ukrainian refugees to join volunteer brigade
Thousands of Ukrainian citizens living in Poland have signed up to join a planned volunteer brigade, Polish Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski said in Washington on Wednesday. On the sidelines of the NATO summit, Sikorski said: "Many of them really want to serve and make a difference to their compatriots on the front line, but they say: 'We don't want to be sent into battle without the right training and equipment.'" Poland, which has hosted almost 1 million Ukrainian refugees since Russia's full-scale invasion in February 2022, is to train and equip the volunteers before their deployment in Ukraine, Sikorski said. The volunteer brigade...
The joke's on us: AI is now better than humans at writing comedy
Chatbots don't have or show any emotions - but still they just might be good for some funny jokes, two IT experts in Los Angeles say. Drew Gorenz and Norbert Schwarz of the University of Southern California (USC), in a recent paper in the scientific journal PLOS ONE, contend that ChatGPT can already compete with professional satirists in joke-writing and creating headlines. The researchers conducted three tests with participants who were kept in the dark as to who or what wrote the jokes being presented to them. One guidepost for the comparisons was the popular US satire magazine The Onion and its...
German Greens demand explanation on stationing US missiles
The Greens, a junior partner in German Chancellor Olaf Scholz's coalition, demanded an explanation on Thursday of why US long-range cruise missiles are to be stationed in Germany, following a decision announced at the NATO summit in Washington. Green parliamentary security spokeswoman Sara Nanni criticized Scholz for not explaining the decision, which was announced in a joint US-German government statement on Wednesday. "It can even increase fears and leaves room for disinformation and incitement," Nanni told the Rheinische Post regional newspaper. She noted also that Scholz had provided little information on the actual threat facing NATO. The statement, issued on the sidelines of...
European Commission accepts Apple concessions in 'Tap and Go' row
The US tech giant Apple has made concessions in a long-running EU competition probe into the company's pay system that may avert huge fines, the European Commission said on Thursday. Apple legally committed to allow rivals access to their one-touch payment system called Tap and Go, which "opens up competition in this crucial sector," EU Competition Commissioner Margrethe Vestager said in a statement. In May 2022, a commission investigation provisionally found that the Apple Pay system is infringing EU competition rules by restricting rivals access to essential technology and distorting the market. The commission - the European Union's top competition regulator - said...
Swiss conservatives oppose using public funds to host Eurovision
Swiss conservatives are moving to block the use of taxpayers' money to put up the 2025 Eurovision Song Contest just two months after Swiss rapper Nemo walked off with the top prize. "The Eurovision Song Contest is an appalling propaganda occasion," the Federal Democratic Union of Switzerland (EDU), a minority national-conservative political party with a largely Protestant base, posted on X on Thursday. The EDU is seeking referendums on whether public funds can be used in the cities that have applied to host the contest. The party will have to secure 2,000 signatures in each case to force a referendum. The competition is...
Swiss conservatives oppose using public funds to host Eurovision
Swiss conservatives are moving to block the use of taxpayers' money to put up the 2025 Eurovision Song Contest just two months after Swiss rapper Nemo walked off with the top prize. "The Eurovision Song Contest is an appalling propaganda occasion," the Federal Democratic Union of Switzerland (EDU), a minority national-conservative political party with a largely Protestant base, posted on X on Thursday. The EDU is seeking referendums on whether public funds can be used in the cities that have applied to host the contest. The party will have to secure 2,000 signatures in each case to force a referendum. The competition is...
German police shows weapons seized in left-wing RAF terrorism case
German investigators searching the Berlin home of Daniela Klette, a suspected leftwing terrorist arrested in February, have secured thousands of pieces of evidence - including weapons and money, police and prosecutors said on Thursday. The search had revealed a Polish assault rifle, a Czech machine pistol and a highly convincing fake rocket-propelled grenade, according to officials from the state of Lower Saxony, which is leading the investigation. They published photos and called on the public to provide any information relevant to the case regarding the provenance of the weapons or where they might have been used. The dummy grenade, resembling a Soviet design...
Why there's no match for third place at Euro 2024?
England and Spain will start preparing for the Euro 2024 final in Berlin on Sunday, while the defeated semi-finalists Netherlands and France are heading straight home. Unlike at World Cups, there is no match for third place at the European Championship - and this year's tournament in Germany is no exception. European football ruling body UEFA explained that the match for third place was abolished as part of a change in the tournament's format from 1980 to 1984. "The match was not considered attractive and hasn't been part of the Euros since then," UEFA said on Thursday. There are also no plans to reintroduce such game. In 1980, Czechoslovakia beat hosts Italy on penalties in the last match for third place at a European Championship to date, with Germany taking the title. In recent World Cup editions, Croatia finished third in Qatar in 2022, while Belgium took bronze in Russia in 2018.
IDF: Two senior Hamas members killed over past week
The Israeli military has killed two senior Hamas officials over the past week, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said on Thursday. The IDF identified one as Hassan Abu Kuik, alleged to have carried out numerous attacks on Israel. He headed internal security operations for the Palestinian militant Hamas movement in the central Gaza Strip, the IDF said. The other was a team leader of Hamas's military intelligence, the military added. Israeli troops were continuing operations in the headquarters of UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA), the IDF said. Weapons had been found there on Wednesday, the Israeli army said. The...
EON, MAN to develop European electric lorry charging network
The energy supplier EON and the MAN truck and bus manufacturer are planning to establish a public charging network for electric lorries across Europe, both companies announced on Thursday. The first locations are expected to open this year. By the end of 2025, 80 locations are planned. They are to be set up within the existing MAN service network but will also be accessible to commercial vehicles from other manufacturers. An overall 170 locations are planned, providing 400 charging points, 125 of which will be in Germany. Others will be in Austria, Britain, Denmark, Italy, Poland, the Czech Republic and Hungary. The German government...
New Iranian president says he will support Palestinian Islamist Hamas
Iran's new president, Masoud Pezeshkian, has assured the Islamist Palestinian group Hamas of his country's support, in a letter to Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh, the FARS news agency reported on Thursday. "Iran will continue to fully support the oppressed Palestinian people until the realization of their legitimate demands and the liberation of the holy al-Quds," he wrote to Haniyeh, according to the report. Al-Quds is the Arabic name for Jerusalem. In the letter, Pezeshkian accused Israel of pursuing an "apartheid policy" and called it a "human and Islamic duty" to work with the Palestinian people to put an end to this policy once...
EON, MAN to develop European electric lorry charging network
The energy supplier EON and the MAN truck and bus manufacturer are planning to establish a public charging network for electric lorries across Europe, both companies announced on Thursday. The first locations are expected to open this year. By the end of 2025, 80 locations are planned. They are to be set up within the existing MAN service network but will also be accessible to commercial vehicles from other manufacturers. An overall 170 locations are planned, providing 400 charging points, 125 of which will be in Germany. Others will be in Austria, Britain, Denmark, Italy, Poland, the Czech Republic and Hungary. The German government...
Moscow won't join second Ukraine summit, says peace proposals ignored
Russia is not planning to take part in any second peace summit that may be held on the Ukraine conflict, the Foreign Ministry in Moscow said on Thursday. Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Galusin told the Russian state news agency Ria in Moscow that Kiev's ideas for a follow-up meeting to the conference in Switzerland in mid-June were known. From Russia's point of view, the meeting would just again focus solely on the proposals of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, while other peace initiatives would be ignored. "For us, such ultimatums are unacceptable and we will not take part in such summits," said Galusin, after...
Bayern sign Portugal midfielder Palhinha until 2028
Portugal midfielder João Palhinha completed his transfer from Fulham to Bayern Munich on Thursday, the Bundesliga record champions said. Palhinha signed a contract until June 2028 and Bayern are reportedly to pay a fixed transfer fee of €46 million ($49.8 million) for the 28-year-old. "This is one of the happiest days of my life. I'm now playing for one of the top clubs in Europe. It's a dream come true for me, and I'm very proud of that," Palhinha said. Bayern were already close to signing the holding midfielder last year but Fulham vetoed the move on transfer deadline day because they couldn't find a replacement. "We kept at it since last summer and now finally have João Palhinha with us. He will be very valuable for FC Bayern," sporting director Christoph Freund said. Palhinha is the third new player in Munich, following winger Michael Olise from Crystal Palace and centre back Hiroki Ito from Bundesliga runners-up VfB Stuttgart. Defender Josip Stanisic and forward Arijon Ibrahimovic return from loan spells at German double winners Bayer Leverkusen and Italy's Frosinone, respectively. Bayern under new coach Vincent Kompany want to rebound from a first season without silverware since 2012. Pre-season training starts on July 15.
Spain coach De la Fuente expects furious final against England
Spain coach Luis de la Fuente is expecting a furious final against England at Euro 2024 in Berlin on Sunday. "It's going to be a huge spectacle and we're looking forward to it with great hope," he said in a video message from the Spanish Football Association. Spain, who in the quarter-finals defeated hosts Germany, booked a ticket to the final after a 2-1 win over France, while England scored in stoppage time to defeat the Netherlands 2-1 and set up the top clash. While the English team are chasing their first-ever European title and a first major trophy in 58 years, Spain...
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