Latest News
- Former Kosovo President Thaçi sentenced to 25 years for war crimes
- Former Kosovo President Hashim Thaci sentenced to 25 years for war crimes
- Students conclude testimony in former Christian school principal’s assault trial
- House votes for third time to restrict Trump’s military actions against Iran
- Undersea microphones developed to protect UK’s £65 billion cables from threats
- Putin lifts 30-year ban on gas mask sales amid rising war tensions
- Thousands of police protest in Paris over working conditions and pay
- Geneva talks aim to address ongoing conflict between DRC and Rwanda
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’
Former Kosovo President Thaçi sentenced to 25 years for war crimes
The ongoing conflict in Ukraine has entered a new phase as tensions escalate following the sentencing of former Kosovo president Hashim Thaçi to 25 years in prison by an international court in The Hague. This development could catalyse further instability in the region, given Thaçi’s prominent role in Kosovo’s history and the legal implications it may have on Serbia-Kosovo relations. The court’s ruling, which followed charges of war crimes during the Kosovo War, underscores the continuing repercussions of past conflicts in the Balkans. International responses are anticipated alongside discussions about Kosovo’s path towards European integration and regional security, as global officials continue to monitor global political tensions.
Economically, markets are reacting to these geopolitical shifts, with investors wary of potential sanctions or restrictions from the EU or NATO as stability in the Balkans is threatened. The upcoming summit for NATO leaders later this month will be critical in shaping responses to the evolving situation in Eastern Europe, especially as military and economic strategies are further debated. Observers will be looking closely at outcomes from this pivotal meeting. international markets and trade may react accordingly.
Key developments across the world
Former Kosovo president Hashim Thaci sentenced to 25 years for war crimes
INTERNATIONAL LAW — Hashim Thaci, the former president of Kosovo, has been sentenced to 25 years in prison. This sentence is a landmark decision by the international court in The Hague for crimes committed during the Kosovo War, which could have significant implications for other wartime leaders in similar cases.
Thaci was found guilty of war crimes and crimes against humanity, including murder and torture, leading a shadowy campaign in the late 1990s that targeted political opponents. This ruling is expected to influence ongoing international discussions about accountability for war crimes in conflicts worldwide.
Another Russian general killed in war against Ukraine
GLOBAL SECURITY — A high-ranking Russian general has been reported killed in Ukraine, marking another significant loss for the Russian military. This incident underscores the ongoing challenges for Russian forces in the conflict and raises questions about leadership in the military’s operations.
Reports suggest that the general was killed during a targeted strike in the occupied region of Donetsk, which has seen intensified clashes as Ukraine continues its counteroffensive. His death may contribute to further strategic adjustments by Russian forces, which are already facing mounting pressure.
Kennedy Center board votes to close for renovations after chaotic call with Trump
DIPLOMACY — The Kennedy Center’s board has voted to close for renovations following a tumultuous conversation with former President Donald Trump. This decision signals a significant turning point in the ongoing dispute over Trump’s name being removed from the centre’s iconic renovation project.
The situation escalated after Trump threatened to block funding if his name was not kept on the project, leading to heightened tensions and public interest in the renovations. The controversy highlights the intersection of politics and cultural institutions in the United States.
Three people killed after news helicopter crashes in Los Angeles
WORLD POLITICS — A tragic helicopter crash in Los Angeles has claimed the lives of three individuals, including a journalist and a pilot. The incident raises serious concerns about aviation safety in urban areas.
The helicopter was reportedly covering a news story when it went down, prompting an immediate investigation by the National Transportation Safety Board. This event illustrates the significant risks faced by journalists in the field, particularly those relying on aerial coverage.
Ukraine May Have Killed Russia’s General Sergei Milchakov in Strike on Donetsk Headquarters
GLOBAL SECURITY — Ukraine may have successfully targeted and killed Russian General Sergei Milchakov in a significant operation against Russian forces. This development could further impact military morale on both sides of the conflict.
The reported strike on the headquarters in Donetsk highlights the ongoing intensity of military engagement in the region and suggests that Ukraine’s capabilities to conduct high-profile attacks are evolving. Such victories may influence international support for Ukraine’s military objectives.
What to watch — Developments in Ukraine’s military strategy following the reported killing of Russian general Sergei Milchakov will be crucial.
Further reading from global news sources
The Guardian
NBC helicopter crash in LA kills at least three people with others injured
Financial Times
Donald Trump says Kennedy Center renovation depends on whether his name is on it
Al Jazeera
Former Kosovo president Hashim Thaci sentenced to 25 years for war crimes | ITV News
Politico
Kosovo’s former president jailed for 25 years over war crimes
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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