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Malta: Explosion at a fireworks factory

A powerful explosion at a fireworks factory in Malta injured two people on Monday, sending a massive plume of smoke and debris into the air, police reported. The first blast occurred at around 6:35 am and was followed by a second powerful explosion, according to witnesses. No workers were at the factory when the explosions occurred.

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Hungary’s Magyar threatens constitutional amendment if Orban-appointed president refuses to resign

Hungarian Prime Minister Peter Magyar on Monday threatened legal action and said the government would use its two-thirds parliamentary majority to amend the constitution to ​force President Tamas Sulyok from office. Sulyok, who was appointed under former prime minister Viktor Orban, has refused to resign before his term ends in 2029. 

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Europe’s fight to stay in the AI race

This week’s special edition of Talking Europe asks whether the EU is ready for the disruption that comes with Artificial Intelligence. It is the most important technological revolution of the century, and is set to impact every aspect of our lives.

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Ukraine: How a kamikaze drone partially operated by AI is attacking Russian convoys

Drones piloted by artificial intelligence are now being deployed on the Ukrainian front lines, and while there has been much talk about them, there is still much that remains unknown. The US-made Hornet Drone, which is partially guided by AI, is at the centre of a new Ukrainian strategy to target Russian logistics.

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Romania hit by drone strike: Foreign minister speaks to FRANCE 24

It was 2am when the explosion hit: a Russian drone smashing into the tenth floor of an apartment block in the Romanian town of Galati, just 11 kilometres from the Ukrainian border. Romania scrambled two F-16 fighter jets and a military helicopter, while emergency alerts were sent to residents across the affected region. Two people were injured and the apartment building was swiftly evacuated. The incident has sparked condemnation across NATO capitals and raised fresh concerns about the growing risks along the alliance's eastern flank.

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'We need Operation Eastern Sentry': Romania 'facing Russian threat every week'

Gavin Lee is pleased to welcome prominent Romanian journalist, TV anchor and military analyst Radu Tudor. As tensions continue to rise along NATO's eastern frontier, the latest drone incident in Romania has once again exposed the growing security dilemmas facing frontline alliance states. Tudor sees a pattern of Russian aggression, the vulnerabilities of NATO's eastern flank and the urgent need for stronger allied military capabilities in the region.

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Lenient ruling in UK rape case sparks nationwide outcry

A UK judge's decision in late May to spare three teenage boys convicted of raping two girls from prison sentences has sparked outrage. The UK attorney general has referred the judgment to the Court of Appeal. Also studies reveal that nearly two-thirds of women over 50 are struggling with their mental health and not getting the professional help they so badly need. Annette Young talks to Professor Pooja Saini, a British mental health specialist, as to why this is happening. Plus we meet Lhakpa Sherpa from Nepal who's broken the women's record for scaling the world's highest peak, making her eleventh trip to the summit of Mount Everest in 26 years.

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EU to unlock €16 billion for Hungary as Magyar pushes ahead with post-Orban reforms

The European Union will unlock more than €16 billion in frozen funds for Hungary, EU chief Ursula von der Leyen said Friday, praising what she described as "long overdue reforms" by newly elected Prime Minister Peter Magyar. The EU had frozen the funds while the country was under the leadership of nationalist premier Viktor Orban, accusing Budapest of corruption and democratic backsliding. 

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France to investigate treatment of nationals on Gaza flotilla after reports of abuse

France's Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot said on Friday that Paris had asked the public prosecutor to investigate the treatment of nationals on board the recent flotilla ‌heading for Gaza. This comes after reports that activists were subjected to abuse while in detention, including humiliation, rape and acts of torture. 

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