French military instructors in Ukraine would be ‘legitimate target’, Russia says

French military instructors training soldiers in Ukraine would be a “legitimate target” for Russian strikes, Moscow’s top diplomat said Tuesday, amid reports France could send trainers to the country.

France does not officially have military personnel assisting or…[Read more]

Macron, Zelensky to discuss Ukraine’s needs in Paris on Friday

“As Russian strikes intensify on the front line and against energy infrastructure, the two presidents will discuss the situation on the ground,” the presidential palace said Tuesday.

The meeting between the two leaders is set to take place after D-Day commemorations.

The Ukrainian…[Read more]

Planet warming at ‘unprecedented pace’, according to new study

Looking at decade averages, temperatures climbed 0.26 degrees Celsius from 2014 to 2023, said the study published in the journal Earth System Science Data.

In that same period, average global surface temperatures reached 1.19C above the 1850-1900 pre-industrial benchmark for…[Read more]

Vivid attractions cancelled due to ‘severe weather’

Wild weather that dumped rain across the country has forced closures at one of one city’s most popular winter events.

A wild week-long weather pattern that dumped rains across Sydney has forced closures at one of the city’s most popular winter events.

A number of attractions at this year’s…[Read more]

World’s rarest album to go on display in Australia

An album so rare and valuable that only a few ears have ever listened to it is set to go on display at an Australian gallery, giving the public a taste of the uber-exclusive tracks.

Housed in an ornate silver box, Once Upon a Time in Shaolin – recorded in secret by the Wu-Tang Clan over six…[Read more]

Turkey’s new Mesopotamia Express takes visitors through the country’s rich history

Running 1,051km from Ankara to Diyarbakır, it passes through stark, mountainous landscapes and some of the country’s most important historical sites.

Train travel is having a moment. From the Tren Maya in Mexico to the European Sleeper connecting Brussels and…[Read more]

Turkey drone strikes in Syria kill 4 US-backed SDF fighters, wound 11 civilians

Turkish drone strikes in northeastern Syria on Friday evening killed four US-backed fighters and wounded 11 civilians, the Kurdish-led force said.

The strikes on areas held by the US-backed and Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces came a day after Turkey’s p…[Read more]

French security authorities foil plan to attack football events during Paris Olympics

France’s security authorities have foiled a plan to attack soccer events during the Paris Olympics, the country’s interior minister said Friday.

Gerald Darmanin said in a statement that members of the General Directorate of Internal Security arrested an…[Read more]

Ratings agency S&P downgrades French credit score from AA to AA-

Ratings agency S&P on Friday downgraded France’s credit score for the first time since 2013, citing a deterioration in the country’s budgetary position.

S&P justified its decision to lower its rating for the EU’s second-largest economy to “AA-” from “AA” by saying the budget…[Read more]

German anti-Islam activist injured in knife attack

A man has attacked six people, including a police officer, with a knife at a market square in the south-west German city of Mannheim, police say.
One of the people injured was anti-Islam activist, Michael Stürzenberger, who had been preparing to hold a rally in the square, according to his…[Read more]

Germany’s AfD party has gone too far, even for Europe’s far-right coalition

A right-wing German lawmaker made comments seen as so explosively outside the mainstream of acceptable political discourse, that his party was disowned by other far-right leaders, breaking a major coalition in the European Parliament.

Maximilian Krah, of the Alt…[Read more]

France and Germany say Ukraine should be able to use their weapons to strike inside Russia

France and Germany said Tuesday that Ukraine should be allowed to use their weapons against targets inside Russia from which Moscow attacks Ukraine.

Speaking at a news conference alongside German Chancellor Olaf Scholz on Tuesday, French President…[Read more]

Macron calls the rise of far-right parties an ‘ill wind’ for Europe

France’s President Emmanuel Macron on Monday raised the alarm over the “ill wind” of the rise of the far right in European politics, during a state visit to Germany ahead of key EU elections.

Macron noted a “fascination with authoritarian regimes” in Europe, singling out Vikto…[Read more]

European elections: French parties compete for seats at the EU parliament

Europeans will be voting from June 6-9 for members of the European Parliament, where France holds 81 of the 720 seats up for grabs. French voters will choose among candidate lists submitted by the country’s political parties; those hoping to lead their parties to EU v…[Read more]

Nadal defeated by Zverev in likely French Open farewell

Rafael Nadal’s record-breaking French Open career came to its likely end when the 14-time champion slumped to a demoralising first-round defeat against Alexander Zverev.

Nadal, who turns 38 on June 3, went down 6-3, 7-6 (7/5), 6-3 to world number four Zverev on Monday, suffering only his f…[Read more]

World Bank, Türkiye kick off $400M project for resilient forests

The government of Türkiye and the World Bank have launched a $400 million (TL 12.90 billion) project to strengthen the country’s capacity to protect people and forests from wildfires, the lender announced Thursday, and a ceremony was held in Ankara.

“Türkiye is vulnerable to floo…[Read more]

Türkiye showcases defense might in major int’l military exercise

Hosting a major military drill that saw the participation of approximately 11,000 personnel from some 45 countries, Türkiye Thursday once again showcased the advancements of its prosperous defense sector among peers in the western Izmir province.

Held in Izmir’s Seferhisar d…[Read more]

Erdoğan vows action against ‘terroristan’ next door

In a patch of sparsely populated land located near a Greek island, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan watched Turkish troops performing a massive military drill on Thursday. The president highlighted that Türkiye had no intention of capturing any piece of territory from any other country but repeat…[Read more]

What are nootropics and do they really boost your brain?

Humans have long been searching for a “magic elixir” to make us smarter, and improve our focus and memory. This includes traditional Chinese medicine used thousands of years ago to improve cognitive function.

Now we have nootropics, also known as smart drugs, brain boosters or cog…[Read more]

Senate estimates offered a brief peek inside one of parliament’s most opaque corners, but don’t expect a transparency overhaul

The windows at Parliament House have undergone extensive cleaning in recent weeks.

Sunlight is literally permeating the home of Australia’s democracy like never before.

Figuratively, though, the government is as opaque…[Read more]