Latest News
- Russia Bans Diesel Exports Amid Attacks on Refineries and Fuel Crisis
- Flooding from Tropical Storm Maysak claims 39 lives in southern China
- Tourism Calgary promotes campaign at downtown Toronto subway station
- US military conducts second consecutive night of strikes on Iran
- Trump claims Iran considers him its ‘number one target’ for assassination
- More than 6,500 march in Bosnia to commemorate Srebrenica genocide victims
- Europa League — Thursday’s 6th July fixtures
- Indonesia’s free meals programme faces corruption and waste allegations
Hunt for Tube hero who gave blind man his shoes after he lost one through the gap The hunt is on find an ‘absolute hero’
Russia Bans Diesel Exports Amid Attacks on Refineries and Fuel Crisis
Geopolitical tensions escalate as Russia has announced a ban on diesel exports, a move linked to recent attacks on refineries that have triggered significant gas shortages domestically. The Russian government attributed these refinery strikes to Ukraine, intensifying security concerns amid the ongoing conflict. The Kremlin’s actions come as international scrutiny increases, reflecting apprehensions about Europe’s energy dependence on Russian resources. For further insights on this development, see our coverage of the global conflict updates.
In economic ramifications, the diesel ban is projected to further elevate energy prices across Europe, already facing supply constraints. The market response reflects anxieties over fuel availability and rising costs, posing challenges for businesses and consumers alike. All eyes now turn to the response from European officials at the upcoming energy summit where they will deliberate on potential strategies to mitigate these impacts.
Key developments across the world
Ukraine war briefing: Russia bans diesel exports as refinery attacks trigger gas shortages and price spikes
GLOBAL SECURITY — Russia has imposed a ban on diesel fuel exports amid escalating refinery attacks. This move has resulted in significant gas shortages and price spikes, raising concerns regarding energy security in Europe.
Recent drone strikes by Ukraine have intensified the conflict, leading to the destruction of infrastructure in Russia and creating a ripple effect on fuel supplies. The situation could further complicate the war as fuel shortages are expected to affect military operations.
Student pilot forced to land plane alone after instructor ‘jumps to his death mid-flight’
GLOBAL SOCIETY — A distressing incident occurred when a flight instructor jumped from a plane mid-flight, forcing a student to complete an emergency landing. This tragic event has raised serious concerns about aviation safety and regulations surrounding flight training.
The exact circumstances leading to the instructor’s actions are currently under investigation, highlighting a critical need for scrutiny in pilot training programmes. Such incidents could impact public confidence in aviation safety standards.
Flight instructor jumps to his death, leaving student to land plane solo
GLOBAL SOCIETY — A flight instructor’s tragic decision to jump from a moving aircraft has left a student pilot to land alone, raising serious questions about mental health support in aviation. The distressing incident underscores the pressing need for evaluating support systems for aviation professionals.
The incredible nature of the event, where the student successfully landed the plane despite the crisis, has garnered significant media attention while also prompting calls for tighter regulations within the industry.
Trump lashes out at allies at NATO summit, orders trade halt with ‘wasted cause’ Spain
DIPLOMACY — At the recent NATO summit, former US President Donald Trump criticized allied nations and ordered a halt to trade with Spain, described as a “wasted cause”. His remarks indicate ongoing tensions within NATO and concerns over mutual support among member states.
Trump’s rhetoric at the summit has intensified questions about America’s role in NATO and its commitment to collective security, potentially affecting international diplomacy and alliances moving forward.
Trump takes aim at ‘wasted cause’ Spain and revives Greenland claim at Nato summit
DIPLOMACY — Trump reiterated his discontent with Spain and revived his controversial claim regarding Greenland during the NATO summit. His remarks highlight lingering disputes within NATO concerning member contributions and political alignment.
The impact of Trump’s statements may further strain US relations with European allies and spark debates on future cooperation during critical global challenges.
What to watch — Observe potential repercussions from Trump’s criticisms at NATO concerning US-European relations.
Further reading from global news sources
The Guardian
Ukraine war briefing: Russia bans diesel exports as refinery attacks trigger gas shortages and price spikes
BBC News
Russian fuel shortages bite – but will Putin change tack in Ukraine war?
Financial Times
How Ukraine’s drone strikes brought war home to 50mn Russians
The Economist
Russians are growing anxious and angry
October 12, 2024
6:18 am
‘Cheer up, you caught the bad guy,’ says killer Virginia McCullough as she is arrested for murdering her parents
A woman who murdered her parents “in cold blood” before hiding them in makeshift tombs for four years told officers to “cheer up, you caught the bad guy” as she was arrested in her home.
Virginia McCullough, 36, poisoned her father John McCullough, 70, with prescription medication and fatally stabbed her mother Lois McCullough, 71, shortly afterwards in 2019.
She ran up large debts on credit cards in her parents’ names and after their deaths, she continued to spend their pensions until she was finally caught in 2023.
In body-worn video footage released by police, a handcuffed – and eerily calm – McCullough told officers: “I did know that this would kind of come eventually.
“It’s proper that I serve my punishment.”
She said she had slipped something into her father’s drink then put his body under a bed on the ground floor, and put her mother’s body in an upstairs wardrobe.
McCullough, having been arrested on suspicion of double murder, told an officer: “Cheer up, at least you’ve caught the bad guy.”
She added: “I know I don’t seem 100% evil.”
At the police station, she told officers where a kitchen knife was, which she described as a “murder weapon”, and a hammer which she said “will still have blood on it”.
McCullough, of Pump Hill, Chelmsford, Essex, was sentenced to life imprisonment on Friday with a minimum term of 36 years at Chelmsford Crown Court, after she admitted to their murders between 17 and 20 June 2019 at an earlier hearing at the same court.
Chelmsford Crown Court heard how she hid their bodies in makeshift tombs at the family home in Great Baddow in Essex, then told persistent lies to cover her tracks.
The court heard she cancelled family arrangements and frequently told doctors and relatives her parents were unwell, on holiday or away on lengthy trips.
But concerns over Mr and Mrs McCullough’s welfare were raised in September 2023 by a GP at their registered practice, and Essex County Council’s safeguarding team referred these to police.
The GP had not seen the couple for some time and said Mr McCullough had failed to collect medication and attend scheduled appointments. It was found McCullough had frequently cancelled appointments, using a range of excuses to explain her father’s absence.
Police said a missing persons investigation was initially launched and McCullough lied to officers, claiming her parents were travelling and would be returning in October.
It became a murder investigation, and when officers forced entry to the house in Pump Hill on September 15 2023, McCullough confessed that her parents’ bodies were in the house and that she had killed them.
Nicola Rice, a specialist prosecutor for the Crown Prosecution Service, said: “McCullough callously and viciously killed both of her parents before concealing their bodies in makeshift tombs within their home address.
“She spent the next four years manipulating and lying to family members, medical staff, financial institutions, and the police, spending her parents’ money and accruing large debts in their name.”
She added: “This was a truly disturbing case, which has left behind it a trail of devastation, and I can only hope that the sentence passed today will help those who loved and cared for Lois and John begin to heal.”
To downplay the genocide, the israelis claim there’s only 20,000 people left in north Gaza, says
@MahaGaza
: the real number exceeds 400,000
Man of the right wing Nigel Farage taking more second jobs and freebie helicopter rides
Gosh he’ll soon be a true blue Tory at this rate
Or far far worse
The cost-of-living crisis is far from over, yet the government’s 50% increase to the bus fare cap is a political choice, adding hundreds to annual costs.
To address hardship & the climate crisis, the government must keep the £2 cap & make public transport accessible for all.
G20 waters down support for Ukraine amid pressure for peace talks
The Tech Titan Who Led His Company From a 68-Square-Foot Jail Cell
November 23, 2024
8:25 am
Defense alliance NATO chief Mark Rutte has met US President-elect Donald Trump to discuss global security issues, according to a NATO spokesperson.
The meeting took place in Palm Beach, Florida.
During his first term as US president, 2017-2020, Trump pushed for European NATO countries to spend more on defense and described the alliance’s cost-sharing as unfair to the US.
Rutte took over as NATO chief from Norwegian Jens Stoltenberg in November.
Before taking office in January, Trump has nominated Pete Hegseth for the post of defense secretary, which has raised eyebrows among many allies.
Hegseth, 44, has served as an infantry captain in Iraq and Afghanistan, but has no senior military or government officer experience.
November 23, 2024
8:25 am
November 23, 2024
8:17 am
Multiple missiles were fired in an airstrike towards a densely populated part of Lebanon’s capital early on Saturday.
The huge airstrike targeted Beirut’s Basta neighbourhood, and no prior warnings were given by the Israeli military. The largely residential area was struck last month.
At least one violent explosion was heard across the city, Reuters witnesses said, and plumes of smoke could be seen. Scenes of massive destruction at the site were shared online, including a massive crater in the ground.
“Beirut, the capital, woke up to a horrific massacre, as the Israeli enemy’s air force completely destroyed an eight-story residential building with five missiles on Al-Mamoun Street in Basta,” the state-run National News Agency reported.
The health ministry put the initial death toll at four, with 23 wounded. The number is expected to climb in the coming hours as search and rescue efforts continue.
It came after a long day of Israeli airstrikes on Beirut’s southern suburbs, which have been non-stop since last week.
The cross-border fighting between Israel and the Iran-backed Hezbollah militant group escalated into a full-blown war in mid-September.
Israel has bombed southern Lebanon, Beirut’s southern suburbs and the eastern Beqaa region, and has sent ground troops across the border. Hezbollah has continued to fire rockets deeper into Israel.
What to Watch
Amazon prime - TV & Netflix
We give you the best picks to binge on this week.
What to Watch
Love Sports
Get your pizza ordered with the latest Live Sports schedule.
- Good News
Add A Comment
© 2026 WTX News.