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Libertarian president Javier Milei has slashed public spending as he wrestles to tame hyperinflation, now at 289% annuallyCommuters in Buenos Aires have been hit by an overnight 360% increase in subway fares, in one of the most dramatic price hikes in a harsh budget austerity campaign launched by Argentina’s libertarian president, Javier Milei.After weeks of hearings, a judge on Thursday lifted an order that had temporarily blocked the scheduled increase in subway fares. That cleared the way for the change to take effect on Friday morning as office workers across Buenos Aires streamed through the turnstiles of South America’s oldest underground metro. Continue reading...

Doctors operated on Slovakia's Prime Minister Robert Fico again on Friday, two days after the attempt on his life, government and hospital officials said. The procedure was a "standard step," according to Deputy Prime Minister Robert Kalinak and the head of the hospital in the regional capital Banská Bystrica, Miriam Lapunikova. Their comments were reported by the TASR news agency. The two did not go into detail. Fico, 59, remains in intensive care and it is unclear if he will make a full recovery. Fico was hit by four shots and underwent five hours of surgery in the Banská Bystrica hospital.

A controversial private floating beach anchored off the French Riviera has entered service despite opposition from local politicians and environmental groups, its backers said on Friday."Canua Island", a 1,750 square-metre (18,800 square feet) motorised platform boasting a restaurant, bar lounge and freshwater swimming pool, was inaugurated Thursday night off Mandelieu-La Napoule on the Cote d'Azur in southeastern France.The luxurious two-storey platform set on a trimaran and anchored 600 metres from the seafront can accommodate up to 350 people.Opponents of the 16-million-euro project have denounced it as "an ecological aberration".Environmental groups have long battled for increased protection for sea life and the coastline of the highly developed Cote d'Azur, long considered a playground for the rich and famous.The owners were denied permits to operate last year, but they took the case to court and were granted an authorization to launch the project.The project had initial support from just one local commune, Mandelieu-La Napoule, but was contested by the head of the broader Provence-Alpes-Cote d'Azur region, Renaud Muselier, a member of President Emmanuel Macron's ruling party.On Friday, around 20 mayors, including those of Nice and Toulon, signed a letter denouncing "this commercial exploitation of the marine environment".But the owners stress that the project is safe, with the engines running on biofuel, a desalination system producing freshwater and all waste being recycled on land.Due to the controversy, the floating beach will not be open to the public this season.Based at La Seyne-sur-Mer, near Toulon, it will be available for private events such as weddings on the Cote d'Azur. The owners have already received around 30 booking requests.

Israel is appearing at international court of justice after South Africa asked it to urgently order end to assault on RafahYemen’s Houthis said they downed a US MQ9 drone on Thursday evening over the south-eastern province of Maareb, the group’s military spokesperson said on Friday.According to Reuters, the Iran-aligned group said they would release images and videos to support their claim and added that they had targeted the drone using a locally made surface to air missile. Continue reading...