9:45 am today

Europe correspondent Seamus Kearney

From Nine To Noon, 9:45 am today
This picture shows a campaign poster of far-right front-runner George Simion (R), defaced with a graffiti depicting a toothbrush moustache, on the eve of the first round of Romania's presidential election in Giurgiu on May 3, 2025. Eleven candidates are running in Romania's presidential election first-round on May 4, a tense re-run of a vote annulled last year over claims of Russian interference. (Photo by Nikolay DOYCHINOV / AFP)

This picture shows a campaign poster of far-right front-runner George Simion defaced with graffiti depicting a toothbrush moustache, on the eve of the first round of Romania's presidential election in Giurgiu on 3 May 2025. Photo: AFP / Nikolay Doychinov

Trump-aligned candidate leads Romania's presidential race, German spy agency classifies far-right AfD party as extremist, Vatican installs chimney for conclave smoke signals, and a spate of cryptocurrency-linked kidnappings in France.

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