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Ukrainian President Zelensky arrives at NATO summit in Washington
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Tuesday laid a wreath at a monument in Washington to the victims of the 1930s Ukrainian famine, ahead of a NATO leaders' meeting in the city. Zelensky travelled with his wife Olena, according to Freedom, a Ukrainian state-owned television station for Ukrainians abroad. He also met members of the Ukrainian diaspora. The Ukrainian president hopes that the meeting of national leaders from the 32 NATO countries - including United States President Joe Biden and Britain's new prime minister, Keir Starmer - will clarify his country's membership prospects and strengthen military support for Ukraine's defensive war against the Russian invasion. Since 2019, Ukraine has had its NATO membership ambitions enshrined in its national constitution. But all current NATO member states have to agree unanimously before that can happen.
'I Am: Celine Dion' director on documenting the singer's agony
New York (tca/dpa) — "This is by far the biggest crowd I've had in a few years," said Celine Dion onstage at Lincoln Center last week. She was making a rare appearance to introduce "I Am: Celine Dion," a documentary chronicling her struggles with stiff person syndrome, a rare neurological disorder that causes muscle rigidity and has made it difficult for her to do the thing that has most defined her since childhood: sing. "I cannot believe how fortunate I am to have my fans in my life," Dion said, pausing to hold back tears as her son, René-Charles Angélil, who...
Slovakia's prime minister returns to work after assassination attempt
Slovakian Prime Minister Robert Fico has resumed work almost two months after a failed attempt on his life. The left-wing populist Fico took part in a Cabinet meeting in Bratislava on Tuesday. According to a statement, the 59-year-old said that he was slowly returning to his working pace, and hoped that he would soon be able to fully fulfil his role again. Fico had already visited a farm on Monday to inspect the harvest. He supported himself with a crutch during the visit. On his Facebook page, Fico sarcastically addressed the "progressive and liberal media" and the opposition, posting: "Sorry I survived, but I'm...
UN official condemns Russian airstrike on Kiev as war crime
The United Nations has described the Russian airstrike on Kiev that damaged a paediatric hospital as a war crime. "Let me remind this council that hospitals have special protection under international humanitarian law," said Joyce Msuya, the acting head of the UN Emergency Relief and Works Agency (OCHA) at an emergency meeting of the UN Security Council in New York. "Intentionally directing attacks against a protected hospital is a war crime and perpetrators must be held to account," she said. The attacks were part of "a deeply concerning pattern of systemic attacks, harming healthcare and other civilian infrastructure across Ukraine", Msuya continued. The missile...
Dog days of summer: Tips to protect your pug-nosed canine pal
It's not an easy life for short-nosed dogs. The nasal passages and pharynx in their deformed head are narrowed, the turbinates have grown incorrectly, the soft palate is too long and breathing becomes a chore for them. Some can only sleep sitting up or not at all. Long walks or exuberant romps with other dogs are out of the question. They have to rest for a long time after even some short exertion. By now, many people realize that such dogs should neither be purchased nor bred. But what to do with those that already exist? How can you make their lives...
Morata's wife hits back at critics on Spain captain
The wife of Spain captain Álvaro Morata has hit out at critics ahead of Tuesday's Euro 2024 semi-final against France, saying he deserves much more respect in his home country. "Everyone can say what they think, but he must not be offended," Alice Campello said on Instagram. "How can a person give the maximum for his country if he has the feeling that people don't believe in him?" Newspaper El Confidencial on the weekend named Morata "a captain who shames Spain not only because of his poor performances at the European Championship." Atletico Madrid's Morata said last week he does not feel appreciated in his home country, and has now been linked with a move to AC Milan. "The easiest thing for me is not to play in Spain. For my life, for what I have to experience when I take to the streets in our country," he said. Morata played for Real Madrid 2010-2014 and arrived at Atlético in 2019 after spells at Juventus and Chelsea. He played again at Juve on loan 2020-2022. His Atletico contract is until 2026.
Researchers use trackers to map the 'landscape' of sleep
Millions of people wear digital sleep trackers to bed every night, waking to see the pattern of their slumber. But, to date, the understanding of these night graphs is relatively simplistic. It’s easy enough to tell how long a person spends in various modes of rest and how often they wake up. But the bigger picture, how individual nights and even weeks of sleep tie together, remains an open question, one that a team of researchers at UC San Diego, working with colleagues at UC San Francisco and the City University of New York, is beginning to explore by analysing millions...
ESA optimistic ahead of maiden launch of Europe's Ariane 6 rocket
The European Space Agency (ESA) is optimistic ahead of the maiden launch of Europe's Ariane 6 rocket from the European spaceport in Kourou in French Guiana on Tuesday. "I feel a wide-range of emotions as we get ready to make an impact on European history, for Europe's future, for generations of Europeans," declared Josef Aschbacher on Tuesday, the ESA's director general, in a post on X. The new European launch vehicle had to wait 10 years for its first launch after a sometimes difficult development process. The maiden flight from the European space centre in Kourou in French Guiana is to be attempted...
Reports: Guirassy move to Dortmund from Stuttgart almost complete
The announcement of Serhou Guirassy's move from VfB Stuttgart to Borussia Dortmund is imminent, according to media reports on Tuesday. Sky reported that the 28-year-old and Dortmund have reached an agreement on his contract. The Stuttgarter Zeitung and Stuttgarter Nachrichten also reported that Guirassy's release clause had been triggered in his Stuttgart contract, which media reports say is worth €18 million ($19.2 million). However, confirmation from the clubs is still pending. A medical is expected to take place this week for the Guinea striker, who was the Bundesliga's second top scorer with 28 goals last term as Stuttgart finished a surprise second. Champions...
Putin and Modi pledge close cooperation in official talks in Moscow
Russian President Vladimir Putin and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi have praised the close and decades-old bilateral relations between their two countries during official talks in Moscow. India and Russia are linked by a "privileged strategic partnership," Putin said at the meeting in the Kremlin. Trade between the two nations had increased by 60% in the past year. According to the Indian Ministry of Commerce, it reached the equivalent of $65 billion, with Indian imports of oil and fertilizer from Russia accounting for the largest share. "Every Indian feels in his heart that Russia is a friend of India in good and bad...
NATO allies agree on sea mine cooperation for Baltic Sea
Germany and five other NATO allies in the Baltic sea region plan to buy more sea mines together as a deterrent to Russia. Sea mines are a "very effective way to deter an aggressor at sea and they are an extremely important capability in the face of Russian aggression," German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius said. Pistorius signed a declaration ahead of a NATO summit in Washington. Denmark, Finland, Norway, Poland and Sweden are also part of the agreement to jointly procure and maintain sea mines in the region. The Baltic Sea is assessed by NATO analysts as a potential conflict flashpoint with Russia and the alliance has stepped up its presence in the east after the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
Pre-birth air pollution linked to cerebral palsy in babies
Smog, smoke and fumes could be leaving babies in the womb vulnerable to developing cerebral palsy, according to a team of North America-based doctors and scientists. Writing in medical journal JAMA Network Open, the Harvard University-led researchers said inhaling certain fine particles was associated with an "increased risk" of the condition, which is the commonest cause of infant disability and which is found in between 1 and 4 live births per 1,000, depending on the location. The particles were described as "PM2.5", where PM refers to 'particulate matter' and the number to the size of particle. The United States Environmental Protection Agency...
German interior minister describes Russian attack as a 'war crime'
Germany's Interior Minister Nancy Faeser has strongly condemned the Russian airstrike on Kiev in which a paediatric hospital was damaged. "The missile attack on a paediatric clinic is a terrible war crime that shows once again the inconceivable inhumanity with which Putin is waging his war against Ukraine," she said in a statement, referring to Russian President Vladimir Putin. "When we see this cruelty of war it becomes clear how important it is that 1.18 million people from Ukraine have now found protection from Putin's missiles and tanks in Germany," she said. "This has saved many lives." Faeser said that Germany would continue to protect the more than 350,000 children and young people who have taken refuge in the country. She added that a total of 1,116 seriously wounded, injured and sick Ukrainians have now been evacuated to Germany during the war. "Many victims have lost limbs, they have gunshot wounds and blast injuries. They are receiving the best possible medical treatment in Germany," the minister said. "Further evacuations are imminent. Our hospitals, aid organizations and authorities - coordinated by our Federal Office of Civil Protection and Disaster Assistance - are doing a great job here," she added.
Google Deepmind boss: AI could be one of world's 'biggest inventions'
Artificial intelligence (AI) has the potential to be “one of the biggest inventions humanity will ever make”, the British founder of Google DeepMind has said. Demis Hassabis said the creation of an artificial general intelligence – AI with a general human-level intelligence – would be “unbelievably transformative” as it could make intelligence itself an “abundant tool”. Speaking to former British prime minister Tony Blair at the Tony Blair Institute’s Future of Britain conference in London, the Google DeepMind chief executive said that over the next decade AI would transform work and productivity through digital assistants, but the technology will also help “accelerate...
Putin and Modi pledge close cooperation in official talks in Moscow
Russian President Vladimir Putin and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi have praised the close and decades-old bilateral relations between their two countries during official talks in Moscow. India and Russia are linked by a "privileged strategic partnership," Putin said at the meeting in the Kremlin. Trade between the two nations had increased by 60% in the past year. According to the Indian Ministry of Commerce, it reached the equivalent of $65 billion, with Indian imports of oil and fertilizer from Russia accounting for the largest share. "Every Indian feels in his heart that Russia is a friend of India in good and bad...
Survey: German coalition parties poll at record low of 30%
Germany's governing coalition parties are polling at around 30%, the lowest result yet, according to a survey by RTL/ntv published on Tuesday. Chancellor Olaf Scholz's Social Democrats (SPD) would receive 14% of the vote if a general election were held this Sunday, the Greens 11% and junior coalition partner the Free Democrats (FDP) 5%. The conservative opposition CDU/CSU would receive 30% - as much as all three coalition partners combined. According to the survey, the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) is in second place with 17%. The new populist Sahra Wagenknecht (BSW) alliance comes in at 8%. The Forsa Institute surveyed 2,504 citizens between July 2 and 8.
VW beefs up its ID Buzz electric minibuses with more range and power
Volkswagen has boosted the model range of its electric ID Buzz minibus with a long-wheelbase version and the four-wheel drive ID Buzz GTX which is the most powerful edition to date. The manufacturer says sales will start in a few weeks. European prices for the XL version start at €62,719, around €2,000 more than the standard Buzz. VW has not yet announced a price for the GTX. With the long wheelbase, the axles are 25 cm farther apart, stretching the electric saloon to 4.96 metres in length. This creates space inside for three rows of seats with six or seven seats or...
Efforts to form new government in France drag on after snap election
The search for a potential government coalition in France continues after parliamentary elections that dealt a serious blow to President Emmanuel Macron's centrist camp and failed to deliver a clear parliamentary majority. The victorious left-wing New Popular Front alliance, which fell far short of an outright majority, is continuing to sound out who from its own ranks could become prime minister if a government is formed. The quickly formed alliance of Socialists, Communists and Greens went into the election without a lead candidate, and are now wrangling over who should be put forward as a potential leader. Meanwhile, Macron's second-place centrist Ensemble (Together)...
German computer scientist wins European Inventor Award for AI work
The German computer scientist Cordelia Schmid was awarded the European Inventor Award at a ceremony in Malta on Tuesday. Schmid, who was honoured in the Research category, received the prize for her work in helping computers understand and interpret data from images. The organization behind the awards, the European Patent Office, said Schmid's work contributes to machines being able to see images in such detail that it comes very close to humans. This opens up a wider range of applications for artificial intelligence (AI), for example with robots that can support elderly people, or recognize when they have had a fall. The 56-year-old scientist was born in Mainz, studied in Karlsruhe and Grenoble and has been working at the French Research Institute for Computer Science and Automation (INRIA) near Paris since 1997. Accepting the award, Schmid said that, if developed responsibly, "artificial intelligence has the potential to revolutionize our society in the same way that the steam engine and electricity did in the past." From healthcare to sustainability, AI could help tackle some of the world's most pressing problems, she said.
Paris prosecutors probing Marine Le Pen's 2022 campaign finances
Prosecutors in Paris are investigating the far-right nationalist politician Marine Le Pen's 2022 presidential election campaign on suspicion of illegal campaign financing, authorities confirmed on Tuesday. French media previously reported that authorities suspect there may be evidence of fraud, forgery and misappropriation of assets by persons holding public office. Allegations in connection with the acceptance of a loan by a candidate are also being investigated. It is not yet known exactly what is involved. An investigating judge has now been leading the further investigations for around a week. According to the public prosecutor's office, the investigation stems from a 2023 report from France's National Commission for Campaign Accounts and Political Financing. In France, campaign spending is capped in order to create more equal opportunities between candidates, and parties and candidates are required to account for campaign finances. Alleged violations of the rules have regularly led to complaints from the relevant authorities. Le Pen and her far-right nationalist National Rally (RN) again lost her bid for the presidency in 2022 against the current incumbent Emmanuel Macron. In the final parliamentary election held last Sunday, the RN surprisingly only placed third despite strong showings in the earlier first round of voting, but achieved its strongest result to date.
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