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☆ San José: Colombia launches expedition to explore 300-year-old Spanish shipwreck filled with sunken treasure
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-22 | by ( Heather Chen | Michael Rios | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

The images will then be used to build an inventory of the archaeological discoveries on the seabed. But it has also sparked a multi-billion dollar legal battle. Colombia maintains that it first discovered the San José in 2015 with help from international scientists. SSA has launched a legal battle against the Colombian government in the Permanent Court of Arbitration, claiming it is entitled to approximately $10 billion – half the estimated value of the shipwreck’s treasure. The loss of the San José and its cargo was said to have caused financial hardships to merchants throughout Europe and the New World, according to reports released by SSA.

Persons: –, Juan David Correa Organizations: CNN, Colombian Institute of Anthropology, Wednesday, San, San Jose Galleon, SSA Locations: Colombia, Spanish, Caribbean, Cartegena, Colombian, Potosi , Peru, Panama, Cartagena, San Jose, José, Europe

☆ Cristiano Ronaldo set to play in 11th international tournament after 39-year-old makes Portugal’s Euro 2024 squad
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-22 | by ( Ben Church | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

CNN —Cristiano Ronaldo is set to play in his 11th international tournament for Portugal later this year, after the 39-year-old was named in his nation’s squad for Euro 2024. It seemed as though Ronaldo might have made his last appearance in a major international tournament at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. Ronaldo made his first tournament appearance for Portugal at Euro 2004. Darren Walsh/Action Images/ReutersHowever, Ronaldo will not be the oldest player in the Portugal squad. “His communication, his positioning mean that, when he’s fit, he’s a very important player.”Portugal will play Turkey, Georgia and Czech Republic in Group F at Euro 2024.

Persons: CNN — Cristiano Ronaldo, Ballon d’Or, Roberto Martinez, “ Cristiano, It’s, who’s, ” Martinez, Ronaldo, “, Fernando Santos, Darren Walsh, Pepe, ” Organizations: CNN, Portugal, Saudi, Portugal’s UEFA Nations League, Al, UEFA, Porto, European, Champions League, Sporting Lisbon, Czech Republic, Czech Locations: Europe’s, Saudi Arabian, Portugal, Greece, Portugal’s, Qatar, ” Portugal, Turkey, Georgia, Czech, Czech Republic

☆ Opinion: We Germans are making Trump ‘thunderstorm’ plans
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-21 | by ( Opinion Anna Sauerbrey | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +12 min

That’s scary.” If Trump is elected, Jörg is convinced, he would withdraw American troops from Europe and stop aid to Ukraine. Jim Bourg/AFP/Getty ImagesSix months ahead of the vote, this soccer field conversation reflects the German view of the US elections quite well. Kirill Kudryavtsev/AFP/Getty ImagesIt’s an optimistic view, based on the assumption that Trump will act rationally, as a deal-maker, if elected. What if Trump tries to take America out of NATO or creates a “dormant NATO,” a NATO existent only in name? Another Trump presidency would not only put Germany’s security at risk, but also manifest this view of the US for another four years.

Persons: Thomas Ernst Editor’s, Anna Sauerbrey, Read, ’, ”, Jörg, Miguel, Donald Trump, “, “ Trump, Trump, “ I’m, Piero, Joe Biden, Jim Bourg, Europe’s, Russia “, Olaf Scholz, Michael Kappeler, ” Scholz, mums, Annalena Baerbock, Greg Abbott, Biden, Kirill Kudryavtsev, George H, Bush’s, Barack Obama, Obama, Heinz M, Schahina Gambir, Gambir, Roe, Wade, Bob Parent Organizations: Zeit, Berlin CNN —, Köpenicker FC, CNN, Biden, Trump, Getty, NATO, Republican, European Union, European Central Bank, EU, ”, Dallas Mavericks, Mavericks, LA Clippers, NBA, Green, Bundestag Locations: Berlin, America, Taiwan, Europe, Ukraine, Italy, AFP, Gaza, Germany, Russia, United States, Trump, Texas, China, Poland, France, Frankfurt, Kabul, New York City, New York

☆ Europe Wants to Build a Stronger Defense Industry, but Can’t Decide How
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-20 | by ( Patricia Cohen | Liz Alderman | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

France and Germany’s recent agreement to develop a new multibillion-dollar battlefield tank together was immediately hailed by the German defense minister, Boris Pistorius, as a “breakthrough” achievement. Russia’s invasion of Ukraine more than two years ago jolted Europe out of complacency about military spending. After defense budgets were cut in the decades that followed the Soviet Union’s collapse, the war has reignited Europe’s efforts to build up its own military production capacity and near-empty arsenals. Daunting political and logistical hurdles stand in the way of a more coordinated and efficient military machine. And they threaten to seriously hobble any rapid strengthening of Europe’s defense capabilities — even as tensions between Russia and its neighbors ratchet up.

Persons: Boris Pistorius, ” Locations: France, Ukraine, Europe, Soviet, Russia

☆ Lauterbrunnen: Swiss village overwhelmed by tourists wants to charge visitors for entry
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-20 | by ( Amarachi Orie | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

CNN —As Venice continues to trial its entry fee for day trippers, a popular village in the Swiss Alps is looking to follow its lead. One idea being mulled over is the introduction of an entry free for some visitors, Swiss Info reported Thursday, citing local newspaper Berner Zeitung. The first day of the Venice entry charge on April 25 was met with protests by some locals who felt their home was being turned into a theme park. The famous city, which is at the global forefront of the move to charge day trippers specifically, will continue to pilot it until July 14. The valley of Lauterbrunnen is home to numerous attractions, including Staubbach Falls, one of Europe’s highest unbroken waterfalls at 270 meters.

Persons: Karl Näpflin Organizations: CNN, Swiss, Berner Zeitung, ” Locations: Venice, Swiss, Lauterbrunnen, Bernese, Staubbach

☆ Who’s going to win the PGA Championship? Breaking down a crowded leaderboard
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-18 | by ( Brody Miller | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +13 min

Follow live coverage of the final round of the 2024 PGA Championship todayLOUISVILLE, Ky. — Justin Thomas predicted it so perfectly. Six of the biggest names in golf are within two shots of the lead on Sunday at the year’s second major championship. It served as a reminder — just as his hot start at the Masters did — of the truth about DeChambeau: Golf hated DeChambeau. That combined with a PGA Championship win to add to his 2013 U.S. Open win at Merion takes Rose from solid career to one of the best European golfers of the century. It coming at a PGA Championship (often viewed as the lowest of the four majors) wouldn’t help.

Persons: — Justin Thomas, Rory McIlroy, Phil Mickelson’s, Rickie Fowler’s, There’s, ” Thomas, Xander Schauffele, Bryson DeChambeau, Shane Lowry, Ryder, it’s, Scottie Scheffler, Collin Morikawa, Morikawa, hasn’t, Scheffler, Schauffele, Xander, He’s, he’s, Sahith Theegala, DeChambeau, It’s, —, ake, ike, hick, lew, Å berg, eason, ron, H, aturday,, ory, cIlroy Organizations: Valhalla, birdies, Bryson DeChambeau EAGLES, ust Locations: LOUISVILLE, Ky, Valhalla, ”, Louisville, COVID, iewed, ife

☆ A Would-be Assassin Stirs Europe’s Violent Ghosts
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-18 | by ( Roger Cohen | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Dmitri A. Medvedev, the former Russian president and regular forecaster of a third World War, had no hesitation in comparing the would-be assassin of Prime Minister Robert Fico of Slovakia to the young man who ignited World War I. Europe, he suggested, was once more on the brink. It was on many levels a wild association to make. The Europe of empires that unraveled between 1914 and 1918 is long gone, as is the Europe that replaced it and produced Auschwitz. In their place the painstakingly constructed European Union of 27 members, including Slovakia, has been put in place with the overriding goal of making war impossible on a long-ravaged continent. Yet, with elections to the European Parliament just three weeks way, ominous indications of brewing violence go well beyond the shooting of Mr. Fico, whose condition remains serious.

Persons: Dmitri A, Medvedev, Robert Fico, Fico, Mr, Princip, Archduke Franz Ferdinand, Churchill Organizations: Bosnian Serb, of Locations: Russian, Slovakia, Europe, Russia, Bosnian, Sarajevo

☆ Opinion: Putin’s lightning assault jolts Europe awake
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-16 | by ( Opinion Frida Ghitis | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +9 min

View more opinion on CNNCNN —It was a carefully choreographed show of force in Beijing Thursday as Russian President Vladimir Putin arrived for yet another meeting with his Chinese counterpart, Xi Jinping. Frida Ghitis CNNOn Wednesday, Slovakian Prime Minister Robert Fico was shot multiple times and gravely wounded in an assassination attempt. Russia’s lightning assault, according to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, who cancelled all his foreign travel, aims to force Ukraine to stretch its defenses. Security officers move Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico in a car after the assassination attempt in Handlova, Slovakia, on Wednesday May 15. Every day, the stark reality that what began in Ukraine will change Europe for years to come becomes more inescapable.

Persons: Frida Ghitis, Vladimir Putin, Xi Jinping, Robert Fico, Fico, Putin, —, Volodymyr Zelensky, Donald Trump, Joe Biden’s, David Cameron, “, Fico —, Radovan Stoklasa, Sergei Shoigu, Andrey Belousov, laughably, Rishi Sunak, Mark Rutte, Russia's, Alexander Ryumin, Emmanuel Macron, ”, Mikko Heiskanen, Xi Organizations: CNN, Washington Post, Politics, CNN CNN, Frida Ghitis CNN, Wednesday, Slovakian, Kyiv, British, Putin, Kremlin, Moscow, European Union, Reuters, Europe, Russia, Republicans, Russian, West, NATO, Institute for, ” Locations: Beijing, Europe, Ukraine, Kharkiv, Russia, Georgia, Soviet Republic, Moscow, Moldova, Slovak, Slovakia, “, Handlova, Iran, North Korea, China, Norway, London, British, Netherlands, ”, Germany, Berlin, Finland

☆ Fico assassination attempt exposes risks for politicians in a polarized Europe
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-16 | by ( Luke Mcgee | Ivana Kottasová | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

CNN —The horrific scenes in Slovakia following the assassination attempt on Prime Minister Robert Fico are a stark and brutal reminder of the dangers facing those who seek public office. Security personnel apprehend a suspected gunman after Slovakia's Prime Minister was shot in Handlova, Slovakia on May 15, 2024. President Zuzana Caputova appoints Robert Fico the new Slovakian prime minister at the Presidential Palace in Bratislava, Slovakia, on 25 October 2023. In 2022, Giorgia Meloni became Italy’s prime minister after running on an anti-immigration, socially conservative ticket. Former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe was shot dead in July 2022 as he gave a campaign speech.

Persons: Robert Fico, Fico, Zuzana Čaputová, ”, George Soros, Čaputová, Fico’s, Zuzana Caputova, Jakub Gavlak, Giorgia Meloni, Covid lockdowns, Jo Cox, DANIEL LEAL, David Amess, Shinzo Abe, Fernando Villavicencio –, – Organizations: CNN, Slovakia's, Getty, Fico, Slovakian, Parliamentary, Parliament, Political, Hamas, British Labour, AFP, Conservative, ISIS, Japanese Locations: Slovakia, Russia, American, Europe, Ukraine, Gaza, Handlova, AFP, Bratislava, Netherlands, Israel, London, Britain

☆ What to Know About the Shooting of Slovakia’s Prime Minister
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-16 | by ( Emma Bubola | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: 1 min

Prime Minister Robert Fico of Slovakia was shot five times on Wednesday, in the most serious attack on a European leader in decades. Officials said the act was a politically motivated assassination attempt, stoking fears that Europe’s increasingly polarized and vitriolic politics could tip into violence. Mr. Fico, a veteran populist politician, underwent hours of emergency surgery after being critically wounded in a town in central Slovakia. Here is what we know about the shooting. Videos from the scene indicate that Mr. Fico was shot in Banikov Square, in the center of the town of Handlova, where the prime minister had held a government meeting.

Persons: Robert Fico, Fico Organizations: Hospital Locations: Slovakia, Handlova

☆ Premier League clubs to vote on scrapping VAR from next season
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-15 | by ( David Ornstein | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +8 min

Premier League clubs are set to hold a vote at their annual general meeting next month on a proposal to abolish the video assistant referee (VAR) system from the start of next season. A Wolves statement said the move came “after careful consideration and with the utmost respect for the Premier League, (referees body) PGMOL and our fellow competitors. “However, after five seasons of VAR in the Premier League, it is time for a constructive and critical debate on its future. GO DEEPER Should Premier League clubs vote to scrap VAR? Has VAR worked in the Premier League?

Persons: ”, Shaun Botterill, “, Liverpool’s Luis Diaz, Mikel Arteta, Anthony Gordon’s, —, — PGMOL, Stuart Attwell, Diaz’s, Marc Atkins, Fredrik Reinfeldt, Phil Buckingham, Tony Scholes, Scholes, Johan Lindvall, David Rogers Organizations: Premier League, Wolverhampton Wanderers, —, ” Wolves, Premier, Tottenham Hotspur, Arsenal, Newcastle United, Nottingham Forest, Everton, International Football Association Board, Swedish Football Association, Premier League’s, Allsvenskan, Europe’s, Swedish Professional Football Leagues, Getty Locations: Harrogate, Sweden, —, Russia, “ Sweden

☆ Want to see Taylor Swift’s ‘Eras Tour’ without breaking the bank? Try Europe
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-14 | by ( Jordan Valinsky | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

New York CNN —Planning a summer vacation in Europe usually requires an exorbitant amount of cash, but when Taylor Swift is involved, it actually might be a deal. For example, secondary market ticket prices for Swift’s show in Stockholm, Sweden, this Saturday are as cheap as $300 for standing room-only and seats in the nosebleed sections. Compare that to Swift’s show in Miami in October where seats are selling for about $2,000 to as much as $8,500 on StubHub. Julien De Rosa/AFP/Getty ImagesAlthough Europe’s laws on ticket resale vary country by country, a number of them, including Ireland and Portugal, ban ticket sellers from making a profit on the secondary market. For Swifties looking to jump over the pond for their London Boy, Shemtob recommends using ticket sellers such as Ticketmaster, AEG, Eventim or Twickets.

Persons: Taylor Swift, Swift, Sam Shemtob, Julien De Rosa, reselling, Shemtob, it’s, ” Organizations: New, New York CNN, Union, Alliance, CNN, Friends Arena, Swedish men’s national football team, Sweden isn’t, Getty, EU, Digital Services, European Court, Justice, ”, London, Ticketmaster, AEG Locations: New York, Europe, Stockholm, Sweden, Swedish, Miami, New Orleans, Indianapolis, Portugal, Spain, Germany, Paris, AFP, Ireland, France, EU

☆ China’s Xi Jinping highlights Europe’s divisions ahead of expected Putin visit
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-12 | by ( Simone Mccarthy | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +9 min

Chinese state media played up the warm diplomacy, with headlines proclaiming China’s “ironclad” bond with Serbia and “golden friendship” with Hungary. Both are sure to closely watch any summit between Xi and Russian President Vladimir Putin in China, expected to happen soon. Chinese leader Xi Jinping is welcomed at the airport in Belgrade on May 7 for his two-day state visit. Xi also marketed a shared worldview during his meeting with Orban in Hungary, which is a member of both the EU and NATO. Chinese leader Xi Jinping talks with Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban in Budapest on May 9.

Persons: Xi, Peng Liyuan, Aleksandar Vucic, Viktor Orban, China’s, Vucic, Orban –, Emmanuel Macron, Ursula von der, Vladimir Putin, Orban, Hungary “, ’ ”, Philippe Le Corre, ”, Putin, Le Corre, Xi Jinping, Dimitrije Goll, Xi’s, Serbia’s Vucic, ” Vucic, Bruno Le Maire, BYD, Liu Dongshu, Vivien Cher Benko, Tamas Matura, Mark Rutte, Olaf Scholz, Matura, Von der, “ Orban, Gabor Scheiring Organizations: Hong Kong CNN, Russia, Ukraine, China, Europe …, Asia Society, Center for, Forum, Anadolu, Getty, EU, NATO, ”, Xi, Hong Kong’s City University ., Hungarian, Central, Dutch, Georgetown University Locations: Hong Kong, France, Ukraine, China, Belgrade, Budapest, Paris, Serbian, Hungarian, Serbia, Hungary, Europe, Russia, Russian, ”, Europe … Hungary, Center for China, Beijing, United States, EU, Hong, Central, Eastern Europe, Eastern, Moscow, Qatar, “ Hungary

☆ Why predicted gains for right-wing populists could make Europe vulnerable to attack
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-11 | by ( Luke Mcgee | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

CNN —Right-wing populists are set to make unprecedented gains in the elections to the European Parliament taking place next month. Polling data suggests that far-right Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) could have enough seats to, together, block the passage of European Union legislation, creating a massive headache for the union as a whole. “For some countries, that is a six-month process, in others it can take two years,” a senior European Parliament source told CNN. Britain's Nigel Farage used his seat in the European Parliament to promote Brexit. It only becomes an issue if they are working with foreign powers to advance their agenda,” an EU security source told CNN.

Persons: Ursula von der Leyen, Yiannis Kourtoglou, Reuters “, ”, James Shires, you’ll, don’t, Britain's Nigel Farage, SEBASTIEN BOZON, it’s, — Organizations: CNN, Parliament, European, Reuters, “, Brexit, Getty, British, EU, Brussels Locations: Brussels, China, Russia, Strasbourg, AFP, Britain, Ukraine, EU, Europe

☆ Europe’s best long-distance hiking trails
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-10 | by ( Joe Minihane | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +12 min

Slovenian Mountain Trail, SloveniaMountaineers climbing ridge on Triglav mountain, Slovenia. Enrique Ugarte/Moment RF/Getty ImagesIt’s no surprise that the Slovenia Mountain Trail has become so popular. Laugavegur Hiking Trail, IcelandInaccessible during winter, Iceland’s ethereal Laugavegur Hiking Trail opens between July and September, drawing in committed hikers from across the globe. The 55-kilometer (34-mile) route is best done over four days, giving time to tackle the challenging terrain and take in the views. Sheep’s Head Way, Cork, IrelandThe Sheep's Head Way explores Ireland's wild Atlantic coast.

Persons: It’s, Lapland’s Salla, King Charles III, Enrique Ugarte, John Muir, Muir, Muir’s, Mount Gamila, James, Alex Treadway, St James, Jean, Les Houches, Mont, Rota, Marc Guitard, marveling Organizations: CNN, Slovenia Mountaineers, Getty, Maribor, Triglav, National Parks ”, Sierra Club, Guinness, Hellas, Via Locations: Trail, Sweden, Hyssna’s, Gothenburg, Lilla Hålsjön, Finland Finnish Lapland, Finland, It’s, Hautajärvi, Lapland’s, Kuusamo, King Charles III England, England, Cornwall, Suffolk, Norfolk, Slovenia, Triglav, Ankaran, Adriatic, Julian, Scotland, Yosemite, United States, Helensburgh, Firth, Clyde, Dunbar, Forth, Loch Lomond, Mount, Zagoria, Greece, Mount Gamila, Apuseni, Romania, Europe, Camino Frances, France, Spain, Santiago, Santiago de Compostela, Galicia, Portugal, Camino, St, Pamplona, Leon, Sarria, Via Uno, Italy, Dobbiaco, Belluno, Passo Falzarego, Switzerland, it’s, Zernez, Blanc , France, Blanc, Les, Mont Blanc, Fishermen’s, Portuguese, Alentejo, Algarve, Iceland, Landmannalaugar, Brennisteinsalda, Hvanngil, Cork, Ireland, Bantry, Mizen

☆ Xi to Head for Friendly Ports in an Eastern Europe Disenchanted With China
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-07 | by ( Andrew Higgins | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

That vessel has since sunk, scuppered by China’s support for Russia in the war in Ukraine and bitter disappointment over projects that never materialized. Also capsized are many of the high hopes that took hold across Eastern and Central Europe for a bonanza of Chinese money. So when Mr. Xi returns to the region this week, after a visit to France, he will travel to Serbia and Hungary, two countries whose long-serving authoritarian leaders still offer a haven for China in increasingly turbulent political and economic waters. “The Czechs, the Poles and nearly everyone else are really pissed at China because of the war,” said Tamas Matura, a foreign relations scholar at Corvinus University of Budapest. “But in Hungary that is not a problem, at least not for the government” of Prime Minister Viktor Orban, Mr. Matura said.

Persons: Xi Jinping, Europe’s, Xi, ”, Tamas Matura, Viktor Orban, Matura Organizations: Corvinus University of Budapest Locations: Czech Republic, Russia, Ukraine, Eastern, Central Europe, France, Serbia, Hungary, China, “

☆ Shell and TotalEnergies listings: Europe risks losing its biggest oil companies to America
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-07 | by ( Anna Cooban | Hanna Ziady | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

London CNN —Two of Europe’s biggest oil companies, Shell and TotalEnergies, are considering abandoning their stock exchanges for Wall Street in a move that would deal a hammer blow to London and Paris. Shares of TotalEnergies and Shell trade on a price-to-cash flow ratio of 4.7 and 5.2 respectively, compared with a ratio of 8.4 for Exxon Mobil (XOM) and 7.6 for Chevron (CVX). Alastair Syme, managing director of global energy equity research at Citi, says Shell and TotalEnergies have long traded at a discount. Investors would “be much more comfortable” buying European energy companies if they were part of the more valuable S&P 500 benchmark index of US equities, according to Syme. London languishesStill, the slightest hint that Shell may consider leaving London will have rattled the city’s beleaguered main stock exchange.

Persons: Britain’s Shell, France’s, Alastair Syme, Syme, Patrick Pouyanne, “, ”, Wael Sawan, Sawan, London languishes, Chris Beauchamp, Shell, TotalEnergies, New York “ would’ve, ” Lindsey Stewart, Ben van Beurden, ” Syme Organizations: London CNN, Shell, CAC, Exxon Mobil, Chevron, Citi, CNN, Investors, Bloomberg, London Stock Exchange, Nasdaq, BP, Morningstar, Financial, Commodities Locations: London, Paris, New York, Chevron, Europe, United States, Switzerland, “

☆ Israel could win Eurovision. That would cause major headaches for the song contest’s organizers
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-07 | by ( Rob Picheta | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +13 min

But this year, “the presence of Israel has become such a big issue (that) I think it’s going to overshadow the event,” he said. And they are leading perhaps the tensest three minutes in the contest’s history, when Israel’s competitor, Eden Golan, performs live. It doesn’t make sense,” Bambie Thug, Ireland’s participant, told CNN of extensive rules restricting any form of pro-Palestinian statement during the event. Ireland's Bambie Thug told CNN they disagreed with Israel's involvement in the competition. Long-standing rules preventing flags of non-competing countries and territories mean that Palestinian flags are banned from the crowd, which Bambie Thug told CNN they “100%” disagreed with.

Persons: Eden Golan, Benjamin Netanyahu, Golan, ”, Jessica Gow, ” Paul Jordan, Weeks, Johan Nilsson, Israel, Noel Curran, KAN, Bambie Thug, Patricia J, Garcinuno, ” Curran, “, Fredrik Persson, –, ” Jordan, SuRie, Karin Karlsson, Karlsson, ” Elina Pahnke, Saturday’s, Mohammad Ghannam, ” Lara Yosef, ” Yosef, ” Bambie Thug, Alyona Alyona Organizations: CNN, Music, Malmo, Eurovision, European Broadcasting Union, EBU, Getty, TT, Agency, Reuters, Israel, RAI, United, AFP, Malmo Arena, Artists, Aftonbladet, Israel’s National Security Council Locations: Swedish, Malmo, Israel, Gaza, Israel's, AFP, Ukraine, United Kingdom, Azerbaijan, Russia, Stockholm, Sweden's, seeping, Sweden’s Palestinian, Denmark, Norway, Sweden, “

☆ Eurovision braces for its most tense contest yet, as protesters and artists bristle at Israel’s presence
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-06 | by ( Rob Picheta | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +10 min

The competition – which tries desperately to retain its “apolitical” tag – has become the largest cultural event so far to be rocked by the repercussions of Israel’s war in Gaza. Those protesting or boycotting the song contest claim it is “artwashing” the conflict; others defend Israel’s inclusion, insisting the contest should not be dragged into geopolitics. It doesn’t make sense,” Bambie Thug, Ireland’s participant, told CNN of extensive rules restricting any form of pro-Palestinian statement during the event. Ireland's Bambie Thug told CNN they disagreed with Israel's involvement in the competition. Long-standing rules preventing flags of non-competing countries and territories mean that Palestinian flags are banned from the crowd, which Bambie Thug told CNN they “100%” disagreed with.

Persons: ” Paul Jordan, ”, Weeks, Eden Golan, ” Jordan, “, Carlos Garcia Rawlins, Bambie Thug, Patricia J, Garcinuno, Noel Curran, KAN, ” Curran, Golan, Fredrik Persson, –, SuRie, Karin Karlsson, Karlsson, ” Elina Pahnke, Johan Nilsson, Saturday’s, Mohammad Ghannam, ” Lara Yosef, ” Yosef, ” Bambie Thug, Alyona Alyona Organizations: CNN, Music, Malmo, Eurovision, European Broadcasting Union, EBU, TT, Agency, AFP, Getty, Malmo Arena, Artists, Aftonbladet, Israel’s National Security Council Locations: Swedish, Gaza, Israel, Malmo, Azerbaijan, Russia, Ukraine, Stockholm, Sweden's, seeping, Sweden’s Palestinian, Denmark, Norway, Sweden, “

☆ What to Know About Xi Jinping’s Trip to Europe
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-06 | by ( Emma Bubola | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

This week, for the first time in five years, President Xi Jinping of China will be visiting Europe, with stops in France, Serbia and Hungary. Mr. Xi will also encourage President Emmanuel Macron of France to pursue greater autonomy from the United States in a bid to weaken Washington’s global dominance. Here is what we know about Mr. Xi’s trip, which began Sunday. What is the significance of Mr. Xi’s itinerary? The three countries Mr. Xi will be visiting, experts say, to varying degrees embrace China’s push for a redefined global order.

Persons: Xi Jinping, Xi, Emmanuel Macron Organizations: European Union Locations: China, Europe, France, Serbia, Hungary, Russia, Ukraine, United States, Beijing

☆ His Skull Was Taken From Congo as a War Trophy. Will Belgium Finally Return It?
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-05 | by ( Monika Pronczuk | Koba Ryckewaert | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: 1 min

Once a powerful local Congolese leader, Lusinga Iwa Ng’ombe fought back against Belgian colonial invaders in the late 19th century. He was such a thorn in their side that Émile Storms, who commanded Belgian troops in the region, predicted his head would “eventually end up in Brussels with a little label — it would not be out of place in a museum.”That is exactly what happened. Troops of Mr. Storms killed and decapitated Mr. Lusinga in 1884, and his skull ended up in a box in the Brussels-based Institute for Natural Sciences, along with over 500 human remains taken from former Belgian colonies. His descendants are struggling to have his remains returned, their efforts unfolding against the backdrop of a larger debate about Europe’s responsibility for the colonial atrocities, reparations and restitution of plundered heritage.

Persons: Iwa Ng’ombe, “, Storms, Mr, Lusinga Organizations: Iwa, Belgian, Natural Sciences Locations: Congolese, Belgian, Brussels

☆ Just How Dangerous Is Europe’s Rising Far Right?
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-05 | by ( Roger Cohen | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Jordan Bardella, 28, is the new face of the far right in France. Mr. Bardella, the son of Italian immigrants and a college dropout who joined the National Front party (now National Rally) at 16, is the protégé of Marine Le Pen, the perennial hard-right French presidential candidate. Moderate in tone if not content, he is also the personification of the normalization — or banalization — of a party once seen as a quasi-fascist threat to the Republic. Across Europe, the far right is becoming the right, absent any compelling message from traditional conservative parties. Not only have the parties of an anti-immigrant right surged, they have seen the barriers that once kept them out crumble as they are absorbed into the arc of Western democracies.

Persons: Jordan Bardella, Victor Hugo, “ Jordan, Jordan, —, Bardella Organizations: National Front Locations: France, Paris, Montbéliard, Republic, Europe

☆ China’s Xi is visiting Europe for the first time in five years – his goodwill tour will be an uphill struggle
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-04 | by ( Simone Mccarthy | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +9 min

Major breakthroughs with China’s toughest critics will be hard to come by unless Xi is ready to make surprise concessions. And the trip could instead serve to underscore divisions – not only between Europe and China – but those within Europe that could play to China’s favor, analysts say. Chinese President Xi Jinping and French President Emmanuel Macron visit a garden in Guangdong during Macron's state visit to China last April. Putin has said he plans to visit China this month, according to Russian state media. Xi may also look to highlight Chinese investments in both Belgrade and Budapest in a message to the rest of Europe.

Persons: Xi Jinping, Andrea Bocelli, –, Xi, China –, ”, Noah Barkin, Hungary –, Ursula von der Leyen, Emmanuel Macron, Von der Leyen, Olaf Scholz, Chong Ja Ian, “, Chong, Jacques Witt, China’s, Macron, Russia …, Wang Yiwei, Vladimir Putin, Putin, Aleksandar Vučić, Viktor Orban – Organizations: CNN, European Union, Ukraine, German Marshall Fund of, EU, “, National University of Singapore, Getty, Beijing’s Renmin University, NATO, Reuters, EV Locations: China, Italy, France, Germany, United Kingdom, Russia, “ China, Europe, Berlin, United States, Serbia, Hungary, Beijing, Paris, “ France, North America, Guangdong, Ukraine, Switzerland, Barkin, “, Belgrade, Budapest, Balkans, Balkan

☆ Georgia rocked by protests as government pushes Putin-style ‘foreign agent’ bill
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-03 | by ( Christian Edwards | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +9 min

CNN —After spending his days making wine in the foothills of the Caucasus Mountains, Tsotne Jafaridze returns home to Tbilisi, Georgia’s capital, and begins his new routine. Jafaridze, who also owns a travel business and says he receives 95% of his income from foreign sources, says he would “immediately” be listed as a foreign agent under the broadly-written law. But the government reintroduced the same bill in March and appears determined to force it through, despite protests that grow fiercer every week. Despite recent Russian aggression against Georgia, Georgian Dream has long been accused of harboring pro-Russian sympathies and its billionaire founder, Bidzina Ivanishvili, made his fortune in the Soviet Union. Bidzina Ivanishvili addresses a rally in support of the "foreign agent" law in Tbilisi, April 29, 2024.

Persons: Jafaridze, ”, Vladimir Putin, “, Giorgi Arjevanidze, isn’t, ” Natalie Sabanadze, –, Levan Khabeishvili, Khabeishvili, Bidzina Ivanishvili, ” Buziashvili, Ivanishvili, Bidzina, Shakh, Sabanandze, Irakli Kobakhidze, Kobakhidze, ” Sabanadze, Viktor Orban, Europe’s, Matthew Miller, Washington, Georgia “, Irakli Gedenidze, Viktor Yanukovych, doesn’t Organizations: CNN, European Union, Getty, EU, United National Movement, National Security Council, Soviet Army, Soviet Union, Belarus ’, Party, Georgian, Conservative Political, United, State Department, Protesters, Reuters Locations: Caucasus, Tbilisi, Georgia’s, Russia, Georgian, Russian, Soviet, AFP, Brussels, Georgia, Belarus, Ukraine, Soviet Union, Hungary, Hungarian, United States, stoke, ”

☆ Hydrogen Offers Germany a Chance to Take a Lead in Green Energy
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-30 | by ( Stanley Reed | Melissa Eddy | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

In the city of Duisburg in Germany’s industrial heartland is a vast steel complex that is one of Europe’s largest polluters. If adopted widely, the devices could help clean up heavy industry, such as steel-making, in Germany and elsewhere. “We are maybe in one of those few very promising industries where Germany has a significant and very promising base,” said Werner Ponikwar, chief executive of ThyssenKrupp Nucera, which produces the electrolyzers. The company was spun off from ThyssenKrupp, a German steel giant, in 2023. Overall, German state and federal governments have earmarked €13.2 billion for investment in about two dozen projects to develop hydrogen.

Persons: ”, Werner Ponikwar, ThyssenKrupp Locations: Duisburg, Germany, ThyssenKrupp

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