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- European Commission chief warns of looming housing crisis across EU.
- Ukrainian Woman Named Suspect in Monaco Bomb Attack, Interpol Confirms
- France prepare to face Paraguay in World Cup Round of 16 match
- B.C. Conservatives conclude Penticton retreat united behind new leader
- National Guard and law enforcement ensure security for July Fourth events in Washington, D.C.
- Suspect identified in Monaco explosion that critically injured Ukrainian billionaire and his lover
- Burnham supports reform of first-past-the-post electoral system in Britain
- Trump departs for Mount Rushmore as extreme heat disrupts July Fourth events
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’
European Commission chief warns of looming housing crisis across EU.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has signalled the launch of five significant defence projects aimed at enhancing collaboration amongst EU member states. This initiative aligns with the EU’s strategic objective to bolster its military capabilities amid escalating geopolitical tensions, particularly regarding NATO’s evolving role and relations with Russia. The projects, designed to streamline defence procurement and innovation, reflect a broader commitment to a cohesive European security policy, with a focus on meeting shared threats collectively.
In market reactions, a recent report underscores a surge in EU trade with the United States, hitting an all-time high despite lingering tariff tensions. This development may catalyse further negotiations on trade agreements, with upcoming discussions at the EU-US summit expected to define the trajectory of transatlantic economic relations going forward.
Key developments across Europe
EU conservatives attempt family therapy in Washington
EU POLITICS — EU conservatives met in Washington to strengthen transatlantic ties amid growing divisions.
The meeting, involving key figures and institutions, aimed to discuss shared values and common challenges facing the EU and the US. This diplomatic initiative is seen as crucial for maintaining unity and addressing transnational issues effectively.
Europe wants to rebalance trade with Beijing, but can’t quit Chinese air conditioners
EU TRADE — The EU seeks to reduce its reliance on Chinese imports while acknowledging difficulty in doing so.
Concerns over supply chain vulnerabilities have prompted discussions on diversifying trade. However, many EU countries remain dependent on essential products from China, such as air conditioners, complicating efforts to enact significant changes in trade policies.
Billions flow between EU institutions and Israel, despite Gaza genocide
EU FOREIGN POLICY — EU institutions continue financial ties with Israel amid international criticism.
This situation highlights the complexities of balancing foreign policy objectives with economic relationships. Critics argue that these financial connections undermine the EU’s stated commitment to human rights, particularly in light of ongoing conflicts in the region.
Von der Leyen admits ‘technical problems’ with new EU airport border checks
EU LAW — Technical issues have emerged regarding the implementation of new EU border checks at airports.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen acknowledged the complications during a recent address, suggesting these issues will need addressing prior to full implementation. The checks are intended to enhance security but may face delays as solutions are sought.
What to watch — EU officials are expected to address the complications regarding new airport border checks in upcoming meetings.
Further reading from across European news sources
Politico
EU conservatives attempt family therapy in Washington
Reuters
EU trade with US hits record high despite tariff tensions, study shows
Euronews
Kazakhstan and the EU: The next chapter of a strategic partnership
Politico Europe
Council clinches deal on EU law about returns of illegally staying third-country nationals
The Guardian
Brexit rule change means British teens in EU face soaring student fees for UK degrees
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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