News

A small cafe in Vienna has found itself at the center of growing tensions surrounding Israel’s participation in the 2026 Eurovision Song Contest, as protests, boycotts and security concerns continue to overshadow the event.

MQ Kantine, a cafe in Vienna’s Museumsquartier district, stepped in to host Israeli Eurovision fans after organizers reportedly struggled to find a venue willing to represent Israel in the city’s «Eurofan Café» initiative. Owner Lisa Wegenstein said she wanted to oppose what she described as the exclusion of Israelis and Jewish visitors.

The café has since become a focal point in the wider controversy...

The high-profile meeting between Donald Trump and Xi Jinping in Beijing was overshadowed by a series of dramatic incidents involving international media coverage and rising tensions over China’s geopolitical ambitions.

During a live broadcast of the «CBS Evening News» from Taipei, anchor Tony Dokoupil abruptly cut to a commercial break after a cameraman suffered a medical emergency off-camera. CBS later confirmed that the employee was «okay and recovering.» The unusual interruption occurred while the network was covering Trump’s state visit and the summit with Xi.

The summit itself focused on trade, Taiwan, artificial intelligence and the ongoing Iran...

Thomas Frank is poised to make a swift return to football this summer following his brief and challenging tenure at Tottenham Hotspur. The 52-year-old tactician was dismissed from his post in North London this past February after a mere eight months in charge.

Enduring a torrid campaign, he departed the club with an underwhelming record of 13 victories, ten draws and 15 defeats. However, the Danish coach is now swapping the immense pressure of the dugout for the television studio.

A new role with BBC Sport

Reports from The Guardian indicate that Frank has officially signed a contract...

Global music icons Madonna, Shakira and South Korean sensation BTS are set to take centre stage for the halftime show at the 2026 World Cup final. The highly anticipated match and performance will take place on July 19 in New York.

A halftime show for a cause

FIFA confirmed the blockbuster lineup across its social media channels, highlighting that this will be the first time the tournament has ever featured a dedicated halftime spectacle. The event has a strong philanthropic focus, specifically designed to raise funds for the organisation’s Global Citizen Education Fund. This flagship initiative aims to generate...

Cruz Azul and Chivas treated fans to a fiercely competitive 2-2 draw in the first leg of the Clausura 2026 semi-finals. The thrilling encounter served as a fitting temporary farewell to the Estadio Banorte, ESPN reports.

Despite taking the lead twice through Santiago Sandoval and Angel Sepulveda, the Guadalajara side were pegged back by brilliant finishes from Carlos Rodriguez and Christian Ebere.

A frantic opening and goalkeeping blunders

The match commenced at an incredibly fast pace. Within the first seven minutes both teams had already carved out clear goalscoring opportunities. Just two minutes in, Jose Paradela used his...

The escalating legal troubles of a divisive American online broadcaster reached a violent climax this week. Dalton Eatherly, a livestreamer who broadcasts under the moniker “Chud the Builder”, was detained following a shooting incident outside a Tennessee courthouse on Wednesday, CNN reports.

The armed clash occurred on the grounds of the Montgomery County Courthouse in Clarksville. According to the Tennessee District Attorney General’s Office, the violent exchange left both Eatherly and an unnamed male with injuries requiring medical treatment. Both individuals are currently stable in hospital.

In a bizarre twist, Dalton Eatherly broadcasted the immediate aftermath of the violence...

On May 13, Instagram unveiled a brand new photo-capturing tool aimed specifically at Generation Z. Named “Instants”, the release includes both an integrated in-app feature and a dedicated standalone application.

According to Instagram’s Vice President of Products, Tessa Lyons-Laing, the innovation allows people to capture and distribute “unpolished moments” to a restricted circle of followers.

Offering a similar experience to Snapchat, Instants gives users a temporary way to share raw images completely free of filters, text or stickers. These candid snaps can only be sent to mutual followers or a curated “Close Friends” list. Most importantly, once a recipient...

Stephen Colbert remains one of the most celebrated and respected figures in American television, famously known for fronting The Late Show with Stephen Colbert. As the comedy icon prepares to conclude his impressive 11-year stint on the CBS chat show on May 21, 2026, he has been sharing a few behind-the-scenes secrets, including the identity of the celebrity guest he found most distractingly attractive, Parade reports.

During a recent instalment of the Strike Force Five podcast, co-host Jimmy Kimmel asked the 62-year-old presenter a rather probing question: «Has there been a guest who was so attractive that you found...

Despite the competition’s “United by Music” slogan, this year’s Eurovision Song Contest has been engulfed by political strife. Israeli singer Noam Bettan secured a place in the Grand Final following a highly contentious semi-final performance that highlighted the deep divisions among participating nations, Variety reports.

Bettan’s rendition of his track “Michelle” faced immediate delays when members of the audience began chanting “stop the genocide” and booing the artist. These protests were met with competing cheers of support from other factions within the arena.

Eurovision organisers subsequently removed a number of disruptive individuals from the venue and opted to edit...

A UK High Court judge has ruled that the surrogate-born son of Ceawlin Thynn can potentially inherit part of the £200 mln Longleat estate fortune, in a landmark case involving aristocratic family trusts and modern surrogacy laws.

The ruling allows nine-year-old Henry Thynn, who was born via a surrogate mother in the United States in 2016, to be added as a beneficiary of several historic family trusts linked to the Longleat estate in Wiltshire.

The case arose because the trusts relied on pre-1970 legal definitions of family relationships that did not account for surrogacy or modern fertility treatments...

YouTuber-turned-boxer Jake Paul has admitted his boxing future is uncertain after suffering a serious jaw injury during his heavyweight loss to Anthony Joshua last year.

Paul revealed that he is still recovering from a broken jaw sustained in his December 2025 fight against the former two-time heavyweight champion. The injury required surgery, including titanium plates and dental treatment, and doctors are continuing to monitor the healing process.

Speaking about his recovery, Paul said there is a real possibility he may never return to the ring if medical scans show the injury has not healed properly.

Joshua stopped Paul...

Israel’s participation in the Eurovision Song Contest 2026 has become one of the biggest controversies surrounding this year’s competition, with several countries boycotting the event over the ongoing war in Gaza and criticism of the European Broadcasting Union’s decision to allow Israel to compete.

Countries including Spain, Ireland, Slovenia, Iceland and the Netherlands have either withdrawn from the contest or refused to participate competitively in protest against Israel’s inclusion. Critics argue the EBU has applied double standards by banning Russia following its invasion of Ukraine while allowing Israel to remain in the competition.

The controversy has also triggered...

The UK has reiterated its commitment to defending the Falkland Islands as Argentine President Javier Milei renewed calls for Argentine sovereignty over the disputed territory. British officials stressed that the Falklands’ status remains unchanged and that the islanders’ right to self-determination will continue to be protected.

The renewed tensions come after Milei stated that Argentina was making «unprecedented progress» on its claim to the islands, known in Argentina as Las Malvinas.

Falkland Islanders have also rejected Argentina’s claims, reaffirming their support for remaining a British Overseas Territory. In a 2013 referendum, an overwhelming majority voted to remain under...

Manchester City W.F.C. has revealed its new state-of-the-art training facility through a drone tour video released on Wednesday. The footage offers an aerial look at the club’s upgraded training complex, designed to support the continued growth of Manchester City Women.

The new center includes modern training pitches, recovery and fitness areas, and player development facilities aimed at enhancing performance and preparation for the upcoming season.

Manchester City continues investing heavily in women’s football infrastructure as clubs across Europe expand support for professional women’s teams and youth development programs.

From economics and politics to business, technology and culture, Kursiv Uzbekistan...

Uzbekistan’s Deputy Foreign Minister Bakhromjon Aloyev arrived in New Delhi on Wednesday to participate in the BRICS Foreign Ministers’ Meeting, which begins on May 14.

The two-day meeting will be chaired by India’s External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar and will bring together foreign ministers and senior officials from BRICS member and partner countries.

According to India’s Ministry of External Affairs, participants are expected to discuss global and regional issues, reforms of global governance institutions, and cooperation under the BRICS framework. The meeting is being held under India’s 2026 BRICS chairmanship theme: «Building for Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainability.»

Uzbekistan plans to increase its food exports to $10 bn and expand export geography to an additional 100 countries by 2030, according to government targets reported by Trend.

The initiative is part of broader efforts to strengthen the country’s agricultural sector, boost food processing industries and increase the global presence of Uzbek food products.

Authorities are also working on improving food safety standards, logistics infrastructure and export certification procedures to help local producers access new international markets.

From economics and politics to business, technology and culture, Kursiv Uzbekistan brings you key news and in-depth analysis from Uzbekistan...

Uzbekistan and China have agreed to expand cooperation on poverty reduction and employment through a series of new bilateral initiatives, officials said during the 8th meeting of the Uzbekistan-China Intergovernmental Committee in Beijing.

The two sides signed a Joint Action Plan on Poverty Reduction Cooperation for 2026–2027, outlining key areas of collaboration over the next two years. The agreement also includes plans for a technology transfer center in Uzbekistan and closer cooperation between research institutions focused on labor markets and poverty alleviation.

Officials also discussed joint rural development and job creation projects under the China-FAO Trust Fund framework...

Uzbekistan has not recorded any cases of hantavirus, and the country’s epidemiological situation remains stable, according to health authorities.

Nurmat Atabekov, First Deputy Chairman of Uzbekistan’s Sanitary and Epidemiological Control Committee, said the virus has not been detected in the country and that specialists continue monitoring the public health situation.

Hantavirus is a rare infectious disease primarily spread through contact with infected rodents. Officials said Uzbekistan’s sanitary and epidemiological services are maintaining preventive measures and ongoing surveillance to ensure early detection of potential health risks.

From economics and politics to business, technology and culture, Kursiv Uzbekistan...

Business conditions in Uzbekistan improved across all major sectors of the economy in recent months, according to the country’s Center for Economic Research and Reforms (CERR).

The report said the business climate index showed positive trends in industry, agriculture, construction and services, reflecting growing economic activity and stronger business confidence.

Uzbekistan has been implementing broad economic reforms aimed at supporting private enterprise, reducing bureaucracy and attracting foreign investment. The government has also introduced measures to expand exports and modernize infrastructure.

Analysts say the improving business environment could strengthen investor interest in Central Asia’s largest population market as the...

U.S. President Donald Trump arrived in Beijing for a high-stakes two-day summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping. Accompanied by a delegation of prominent corporate executives including Nvidia chief executive Jensen Huang and tech billionaire Elon Musk, Trump aims to aggressively push for broader American business access to the world’s second-largest economy.

Marking the first presidential visit to China in almost a decade, the diplomatic mission comes at a critical juncture. The U.S. leader is seeking to secure lucrative trade agreements and preserve a fragile economic truce while battling declining domestic approval ratings exacerbated by the ongoing American conflict with...

Hollywood star Jamie Foxx is preparing to expand his family once again. Multiple reports have confirmed that the actor’s partner Alyce Huckstepp is pregnant with their first child together.

According to insiders with direct knowledge of the situation the couple are already several months along in the pregnancy. However specific details regarding the exact due date or the sex of the baby remain securely under wraps at this time.

The news marks a joyful new chapter for the pair whose high-profile relationship has seen its share of public developments. The couple were first romantically linked in August 2022 when Huckstepp...

The Memphis Grizzlies have announced the tragic death of their 29-year-old forward Brandon Clarke. The franchise confirmed the news of his passing, though the exact circumstances and cause of death have not yet been made public, BBC reports.

Heartfelt tributes

The Grizzlies organisation released a statement expressing that they are “heartbroken” by the sudden loss of the Canadian-born player. The team praised him for his extensive contributions both on the hardwood and within the local area.

“Brandon was an outstanding team-mate and an even better person whose impact on the organisation and the greater...

British energy giant BP has acquired a 40% participating interest in a production sharing agreement covering six oil and gas exploration blocks in Uzbekistan’s Ustyurt region, the company announced on Wednesday.

The deal marks BP’s return to upstream energy investments in Uzbekistan after the company exited exploration activities in the country in 2021. At the time, BP was pursuing an aggressive low-carbon strategy under former chief executive Bernard Looney, who pledged to cut the company’s oil and gas production by 40% by 2030.

Since then, the London-listed company has shifted its strategy back toward traditional fossil fuel development...

Sean Gathright took to the witness box in tears this week to offer a desperate apology for his involvement in the fatal ambush of drill rapper Julio Foolio. The 20-year-old is currently navigating the death penalty phase of his trial after a jury convicted him of first-degree murder last week, Tampa Bay Times reports.

Gathright was found guilty alongside Rashad Murphy, Davion Murphy and Isaiah Chance. The prosecution successfully argued that the June 2024 assassination in Tampa was a targeted hit fuelled by a bitter gang rivalry within the Jacksonville drill rap community. While his three accomplices were identified...