Paris

Greece and its lenders are due to get back down to business on Saturday with a meeting of the Brussels Group that Athens hopes will result in an interim agreement by the end of the month at the latest.

France's prime minister announced April 17the government would pour 100 million euros into a major anti-racism and anti-Semitism action plan devised in the aftermath of the deadly Paris jihadist attacks.
      

PRISTINA - The Kosovo parliament decided on Thursday that independent MP Bljerim Salja will continue to hold the position of the Kosovo government's coordinator for the dialogue with Belgrade, Pristina's media reported.

Syrian singer Lena Chamamyan, one of the most popular performers in the Middle East, will take the stage in Istanbul as part of the 6th Avea concerts. 

The young singer, who is of Armenian descent, blends jazz and traditional Armenian music, and will perform at the Istanbul Congress Center on May 15. 

Italy pleaded for more help April 16 to rescue migrants risking their lives to cross the Mediterranean, and demanded a "clear answer" from the European Union about where the refugees should be sent.
      

The 20th Dosso Dossi Fashion Show, which will be held between June 8 and 14 in Turkey's southern province of Antalya, will welcome Kendall Jenner, the youngest member of the reality-show Keeping Up with the Kardashians.

The 19-year-old model Jenner will be on the runway on June 9, presenting four outfits from the Behcetti, Moda Larissa, Icon and Fimore brands.

Greece has the highest tax wedges (43.4 percent) for one-earner families with two children at the average wage among the 34 countries of the OECD, a new report by the Paris-based organization shows.

The average for OECD countries is 26.9 percent, ?Taxing Wages 2015? said.

Bulgaria is now emerging out of its recent international isolation, Prime Minister Boyko Borisov noted at the opening ceremony of The Epic of the Thracian Kings at the Louvre in Paris.

French President Francois Hollande has said he would like to see French companies fully engaged in the process of diversification of Bulgaria's energy supplies.

Speaking after a meeting with Bulgarian Prime Minister Boyko Borisov in Paris on Tuesday, Hollande said he and French Prime Minister Manuel Valls would be willing to see Electricite de France (EDF) being present in Bulgaria.

Finland's Nokia announced on April 14 that it was in advanced talks to purchase all of its Franco-American rival Alcatel-Lucent.

"Nokia and Alcatel-Lucent confirm that they are in advanced discussions with respect to a potential full merger, which would take the form of a public exchange offer by Nokia for Alcatel-Lucent," said a statement.