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- EU ministers adopt sanctions targeting Russia over Ukrainian child deportations.
- US strikes Iranian military facilities after exchange of fire in Hormuz
- Londoners Lack Public Resting Spots Amid ‘Hostile Greenery’ Across City | News UK
- British authorities search for 29 passengers who left hantavirus-hit ship
- Eu insists on progress in eu-us trade deal talks despite ongoing deadlock
- World Health Organisation reports hantavirus outbreak on cruise ship in Atlantic
- Rumen Radev named Bulgaria’s new prime minister after election victory
- US confirms strikes on Iranian military sites amid tensions in Strait of Hormuz
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’
EU ministers adopt sanctions targeting Russia over Ukrainian child deportations.
The European Union is preparing to adopt new sanctions in response to Russia’s ongoing deportations of Ukrainian children. The measures will be discussed at a summit of EU ministers where broad consensus appears to be forming on the urgency of reinforcing measures against these humanitarian violations, as articulated by high-ranking officials in recent briefings. This is a significant escalation in the EU’s strategy to hold Russia accountable amidst the Ukraine conflict.
In related economic developments, heightened tensions may impact EU-Russia trade relations, particularly in energy sectors where sanctions have already caused disruptions. Analysts suggest that these forthcoming sanctions could further strain Europe’s energy supplies, necessitating discussions on alternative sourcing strategies. Watch for the outcome of the ministerial summit scheduled later this week, which will set the stage for the potential adoption of these sanctions.
Key developments across Europe
Trump threatens ‘much higher’ tariffs on EU by 4 of July
EU TRADE — Donald Trump has indicated intentions to impose increased tariffs on EU imports by Independence Day.
This announcement has raised concerns among European officials, who fear its potential negative impact on transatlantic trade relations. If enacted, these tariffs may significantly affect various sectors, leading to retaliatory measures and escalating tensions between the US and EU.
US businesses urge Trump to intervene over new EU consumer rules
EU BUSINESS — American companies are calling for intervention by President Trump regarding the EU’s new consumer regulations.
They believe these rules could impose unfair burdens on US businesses operating in Europe, potentially leading to reduced competitiveness. The call for intervention highlights the increasing strain on US-EU trade relations and the complexities faced by multinational corporations.
Joint declaration following the first Armenia–EU summit
EU FOREIGN POLICY — The first Armenia-EU summit resulted in a joint declaration strengthening ties between the two entities.
This summit facilitated discussions on cooperation in various fields, including trade, security, and cultural exchange. The declaration underscores the EU’s commitment to supporting Armenia’s democratic and economic development goals.
EU approves acquisition of HKM by Salzgitter Mannesmann
EU BUSINESS — The EU has approved the acquisition of HKM by Salzgitter Mannesmann, reflecting a significant consolidation in the steel industry.
This decision comes amid ongoing challenges in the European steel market, with hopes that the merger will enhance competitiveness and efficiency. The approval indicates the EU’s willingness to support strategic moves in key industries.
Retail investors set for simpler EU rules
EU LAW — The EU is moving towards simplifying regulations for retail investors, aiming to enhance market accessibility.
This initiative is intended to empower smaller investors and attract greater participation in the financial markets. Streamlined regulations could lower barriers to entry, fostering economic growth and innovation within the EU investment landscape.
What to watch — Anticipate potential US reactions to the EU’s regulatory moves and ongoing discussions regarding trade tensions.
Further reading from across European news sources
Financial Times
US businesses urge Trump to intervene over new EU consumer rules
Reuters
EU ministers to adopt sanctions related to Russia’s deportations of Ukrainian children
Politico Europe
Open your markets if you want EU cash, industry chief tells US and other trade partners
Euronews
EU Defence chief tells Euronews ‘Russia is outproducing us militarily’
The Guardian
US tech firms successfully lobbied EU to keep datacentre emissions secret
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.
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