By Maria Martinez and Christian Kraemer BERLIN (Reuters) -The German government froze major spending pledges focused on green initiatives and

“Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse” opened in U.S. and Canadian theaters with a massive $120.5 million, more than tripling the debut of the 2018 animated original and showing the kind of movie-to-movie box-office growth that would be the envy of even the mightiest of Hollywood franchises

By David Shepardson WASHINGTON (Reuters) -U.S. railroad regulators on Wednesday offered a mixed review of Norfolk Southern's safety culture after

One person has died and another was injured after an attack in central Paris, near the Eiffel Tower. Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin announced the incident on social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter. “The police have just courageously arrested an assailant attacking passersby in Paris, around the Quai de Grenelle. One deceased person and one injured person treated by the Paris fire brigade. Please avoid the area,” the minister wrote. The anti-terrorism prosecutor’s office said it had not yet put in charge of an investigation. “The assailant was neutralised very quickly by police. We tried to save the life of this man. It’s a man who died and they (the people who were attacked) were tourists,” Dr Patrick Pelloux told BFM TV. BFM, citing police, said the man who died was of German nationality and that the assailant’s weapon was a hammer. Saturday night’s incident in central Paris occurred less than eight months before the French capital hosts the Olympic Games and could raise questions about security at the global sporting event. Paris plans an unprecedented opening ceremony on the Seine river that may draw as many as 600,000 spectators. More to follow on this breaking news story Read More Ex-president barred from leaving Ukraine amid alleged plan to meet with Hungary's Viktor Orban Bologna’s leaning tower sealed off by police over fears it could collapse Schoolboy’s hilarious reaction to Zelensky walking into classroom

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'He adored his fans, and I know how much this would mean to him having a final resting place where we could all celebrate his life,' Angel Carter said

Seven valuable art pieces plundered by the Nazis more than 80 years ago are being returned to the heirs of a cabaret performer, who was killed during the Holocaust and whose massive art collection was stolen by the Third Reich

Former President Donald Trump now says he won’t be holding a press conference next week to unveil what he claims is new evidence of fraud in the 2020 election in Georgia, citing the advice of lawyers

Twitch, known for its lack of transparency, previously banned PewDiePie's channel in May without any explanation

Some of the world’s most celebrated wines – and the historic cultures of the communities which produce them – are under threat, scientists have warned. The harvesting of grapes on steep slopes is known as “heroic” viticulture – named so for the difficulty in producing fruitful harvests on such challenging terrain, typically without the use of mechanised tools, and many such vineyards across Europe have been designated Unesco world heritage sites. But researchers have warned that farmers and scientists must work together to protect this centuries-old tradition in the likes of Italy, Spain and Portugal, where climate change is threatening to disrupt the delicate equilibrium cultivated and maintained for generations. Scientists set out their concerns in a paper last month published in the journal iScience, warning that soil degradation and drought – such as those which devastated swathes of Europe last year – are the most worrying risks posed by climate change. Furthermore, the researchers from the University of Padova warned of a simultaneous threat posed by the “rural exodus and a gradual abandonment of mountain landscapes” which have “characterised” the past 50 years. “The new generation is not attracted to continue working under extreme conditions if economic benefits are insignificant,” they wrote, and warned that the technological modernisation of society is “degrading” the rural cultural background of previous generations. “The risk is not only losing an agricultural product or seeing a landscape change, negatively impacting the local economy,” said lead author Dr Paolo Tarolli and his co-writers. “The risk is losing entire communities’ history and their cultural roots.” Vineyards are considered “heroic viticulture” sites if they have a slope steeper than 30 percent, are located on small islands or at an altitude higher than 500 metres above sea level, or if they incorporate vines grown on terraces – conditions key to developing the wines’ prized flavours. Some of the most famous examples include the Prosecco Hills of Conegliano and Valdobbiadene, Portugal’s Alto Douro region, and the Spanish Canary Islands. The increased frequency of weather extremes driven by climate change accelerates soil degradation, the researchers warned, pointing to the ability of intense rainfall to “quickly trigger slope failures” without optimum water conservation processes. Meanwhile, prolonged droughts can threaten already difficult and costly irrigation processes on such slopes. “The key to success lies in combining the traditional knowledge of winemakers with innovation and scientific rigor,” the researchers said. “In this way, farms can work closely with scientists to optimise investments for a more functional, sustainable, and safe agricultural landscape – a winning alliance to face these diverse natural and anthropogenic challenges.” The warning came just days after researchers at the University of East Anglia and London School of Economics suggested that climate change is likely to increase the potential for UK wine production over the next two decades. Wine growing conditions in parts of the UK could grow to resemble those in famous growing regions of France and Germany, they suggested, with new areas in England and Wales finding they are able to grow varieties rarely found at present, including still pinot noir, sauvignon blanc and riesling. But, the study published in the journal OENO One also warned that British weather will remain unpredictable, and that producers will therefore need to remain “agile”. Read More Why climate change could be good news for UK wine ‘A new way of looking at whisky’: The rise of English distilleries Independent Wine Club fair weather friends: Wines for summer sipping Follow your tastebuds to find the hidden Algarve, a foodie’s paradise far from the madding crowd

The nation’s top accident investigator says a surge in close calls between planes at U.S. airports this year is a clear warning sign that aviation is under stress

Jerry Springer died peacefully in his home on April 27, only months after being diagnosed with pancreatic cancer