Many Canadians want Canada to become America's 51st state, I think that's a great idea, President-elect Donald Trump announced yesterday morning. In doing so, he stated that the US was ‘subsidising’ Canada.more

In recent weeks, travel fans have been bombarded with various compilations and suggestions to help them plan next year's trips. Some publications come in the form of cautions. For example, those dreaming of a holiday in France should steer clear of the seaside town of Fos-sur-Mer. It is the ugliest town in France according to the daily ‘Telegraph’.more

Portuguese police have detained a Polish citizen suspected of mass production of various types of drugs, public radio RTP reported. Among the drugs confiscated were tens of kilograms of cannabis, ecstasy and LSD, as well as hallucinogenic mushrooms.more

The Electoral College officially elected Donald Trump as President of the United States yesterday. According to the results in the individual states, Trump received 312 votes, while Kamala Harris received 226 votes.more

European Union privacy watchdogs hit Facebook owner Meta with fines totaling €251 million on Monday after an investigation into a 2018 data breach on the social media platform that exposed millions of accounts. more

A high-speed rail train to Berlin set off from Paris on Monday, which will operate a new direct link between the French and German capitals. The train will run daily and the journey will take eight hours.more

In the assessment of the US services, the observed drone activity in and around New Jersey is hobby drones, commercial drones and police drones operating fully legally, announced US National Security Council spokesman John Kirby. In doing so, he responded to allegations that authorities were hiding knowledge of ‘secret’ drones.more

The European Commission yesterday launched a procedure against Poland for failing to conduct mandatory alcohol testing of pilots and cabin crew at airports.more

A high-ranking general in the Russian armed forces and his assistant have been killed in an explosion in Moscow. Lt Gen Igor Kirillov, head of the Nuclear, Biological, Chemical Defence Forces (NBC), was leaving a residential block early on Tuesday when a device hidden in a scooter exploded, Russia's Investigative Committee said.more

EU countries have approved changes to EU regulations that are intended to make it harder for drivers who commit road offences in another member state to avoid liability. Countries are to strengthen cooperation in identifying perpetrators and collecting fines.more

EU member states have today approved a new regulation on packaging and packaging waste (PPWR). According to it, all packaging must be recyclable by 2030, and the sale of single-use cosmetics or spices packaged in plastic will be banned.more

Domestic violence against men is on the rise in Portugal, according to a report by the Portuguese Association for Support to Victims (APAV), which shows that the number of cases of this type of abuse is at a record high.more

In 2023, there were 1,567 serious rail accidents in the European Union, in which 841 people died; the most in Poland (159) - according to Eurostat data. In second place were Germany and Romania. The fewest fatalities were recorded in Luxembourg and Estonia - it was added.more

In Rome, a record was broken on the real estate market: 45 thousand euros per square meter for an apartment on Piazza di Spagna. It was sold very quickly. This, as analysts note, is more than the price in many exclusive locations in New York or Dubai.more

New York Governor Kathy Hochul and New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy yesterday called on Washington authorities to investigate suspicious drone activity detected near important facilities in their states. There are nearly a million registered drones in the US, according to a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) official.more

The richest person in the world just hit an even higher milestone. Elon Musk’s net worth has reached $400 billion, according to Bloomberg, making him the first person ever to cross that mark. Behind his nearly $20 billion jump in wealth was a deal that shot up Musk’s rocket company SpaceX’s valuation to roughly $350 billion, Bloomberg reported Tuesday.more

Donald Trump's team has been in talks with the White House and Ukrainian representatives in recent days about ending the war, NBC News reported yesterday. However, the station reports that so far the new team has not presented a concrete plan.more

The new EU defence commissioner, Andrius Kubilius, yesterday called for faster armament in Europe. "To be honest, we are not sufficiently prepared for a possible attack," he admitted in an interview with Redaktionsnetzwerk Deutschland (RND).more

Norway's parliament passed a new abortion law yesterday, extending the period in which a woman can decide to terminate her pregnancy from 12 to 18 weeks. The center-left coalition's bill was supported by the People's Party, the Conservatives, and some of the right.more

The Finnish military has ordered tenants in various parts of the country to leave residential homes adjacent to strategically important military facilities. Dozens of families have been ordered to move out in areas near airports in Lapland alone, as well as in central Finland. The houses will be demolished, Yle radio reported yesterday.more

The US weekly Time magazine has named Donald Trump as its Man of the Year, the magazine's editors announced yesterday. more

Places where we once sought respite have been struggling with over-tourism for years. Not surprisingly, travel enthusiasts are increasingly looking for destinations that are a little less besieged, where tranquillity, contact with nature is of the highest value. In choosing these most soothing destinations, the ‘Global Relaxation Index’ ranking will help. more

EU interior ministers decided today in Brussels to abolish travel controls at land borders with Bulgaria and Romania from January 1, 2025. Both countries have been seeking entry into the full Schengen zone since joining the EU in 2007.more

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni won this year's Politico ranking of the 28 most influential people in Europe. Other nominees included Donald Tusk, Radoslaw Sikorski, Rafal Trzaskowski and Piotr Serafin.more

Coffee drinkers may soon see their morning treat get more expensive, as the price of coffee on international commodity markets has hit its highest level on record. On Tuesday, the price for Arabica beans, which account for most global production, topped $3.44 a pound (0.45kg), having jumped more than 80% this year. The cost of Robusta beans, meanwhile, hit a fresh high in September.more