Latest News
- UK Launches Multinational Military Training to Strengthen Ukraine Readiness
- Russian strike on Ukrainian aid centre kills 29 with 48 people missing
- Saskatoon committee to consider expropriating land for bus rapid transit stations
- U.S. military conducts defensive strikes on Iranian targets near Strait of Hormuz
- Lidl launches Christmas advert featuring Shaun Williamson as Barry from EastEnders
- Karl Bushby returns to UK after 28-year walk from South America
- Businesses adapt to new Manitoba Standard Time amid darker mornings
- Trump tells GOP “we gave this a very strong shot” as midterm candidates make final pitches
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’
UK Launches Multinational Military Training to Strengthen Ukraine Readiness
In a significant escalation of geopolitical tensions, the UK has indicated that British troops deployed in Ukraine will have the authority to return fire if attacked by Russian forces. This announcement comes amidst a broader commitment to bolster military support for Ukraine, as the government prepares to lead a multinational exercise aimed at readiness for peacekeeping operations as the conflict in Ukraine continues to unfold. The UK military’s decision aligns with similar declarations from European allies, raising the stakes in the ongoing conflict as both sides prepare for potential escalations in violence over the winter months.
The implications of this development extend into economic sectors as well, particularly concerning energy supply and security within Europe. With UK and European leaders poised to discuss further sanctions against Russia at an upcoming summit, market analysts will be watching closely for indications of how international responses could further impact global energy prices and stability.
Key developments across the world
US strikes Iran’s Qeshm Island on eve of election
GLOBAL SECURITY — The United States conducted airstrikes on Iran’s Qeshm Island as the midterm elections approached. This military action is part of ongoing tensions between the US and Iran, with significant implications for regional stability and US-Iran relations.
The strikes targeted Iranian interests, raising concerns about escalating military engagement right before the pivotal US elections. Analysts suggest the strikes may influence voter sentiment in a country divisive on foreign policy issues, particularly regarding Iran.
UK and European peacekeepers in Ukraine would be allowed to fire back at Russians
GLOBAL SECURITY — European peacekeeping forces in Ukraine will be permitted to fire back if attacked by Russian troops. This decision results from an evolving military strategy in response to persistent threats from Russian forces in the ongoing Ukraine conflict.
With this change in engagement rules, peacekeepers aim to enhance their defensive measures during operations. This policy shift reflects the intensifying nature of the conflict as European nations seek to bolster military support for Ukraine against Russian aggression.
Americans head to polls in midterm elections seen as referendum on Trump
DIPLOMACY — The United States is in the midst of midterm elections, widely regarded as a referendum on former President Trump’s influence. Voter turnout and results could signal the political direction of the country, impacting future governance and party strategies.
Key issues surrounding national security, healthcare, and taxes are at the forefront of the election debates. Analysts predict that outcomes will affect both domestic policies and international relations, particularly with approaching presidential elections.
Three European flights hit by bomb threats in two days
INTERNATIONAL LAW — Multiple bomb threats have affected three European flights in two days, raising serious safety concerns. Authorities are investigating these threats while strengthening security measures at airports across Europe.
The incidents have triggered emergency landings and heightened public anxiety regarding air travel security. This wave of threats could lead to stricter regulations and emergency protocols for airlines operating in Europe.
Bomb alert on London Heathrow plane closes Warsaw airport
GLOBAL MIGRATION — A bomb alert involving a London-bound flight led to the temporary closure of Warsaw airport. This incident has necessitated emergency measures affecting international air traffic and highlighted vulnerabilities within air security systems.
The swift response from Polish authorities underscores the importance of rapid action in emergency scenarios. Such events often create disarray and can impact travel plans for thousands of passengers across Europe.
What to watch — Monitor developments in US-Iran relations following the recent airstrikes ahead of the midterm elections.
Further reading from global news sources
The Guardian
Americans head to polls in midterm elections seen as referendum on Trump
BBC News
Live updates: 2026 US midterm elections and results
Financial Times
US strikes Iran’s Qeshm Island on eve of election
The Independent
Midterms 2026: When will we actually know who won Congress?
Al Jazeera
Bomb threat forces emergency landing of London flight with 181 people on board
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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