
EU rebukes its representative in Austria over 'blood money' comment on Russian gas imports
The European Union’s executive branch has strongly criticized the bloc’s representative in Austria for accusing the country of paying “blood money” to Russia for gas supplies
2023-09-08 20:19

How tall is Julia Roberts? 'Pretty Woman' star reportedly declined lead role in 'The Proposal'
Julia Roberts' Netflix thriller 'Leave The World Behind', which also stars Mahershala Ali and Ethan Hawke, will have its world premiere on October 25
2023-09-08 20:19

Johnny Kitagawa's sexual abuse: Japan's worst kept secret
For decades, sexual assault accusations marred his career - and for decades, the media failed to investigate.
2023-09-08 19:58

Spanish prosecutors accuse Rubiales of sexual assault and coercion for kissing a player at World Cup
Spanish state prosecutors have filed a lawsuit against Luis Rubiales for sexual assault and coercion for kissing a player on the lips without her consent after the Women’s World Cup final, the country’s prosecutors’ office said Friday. Rubiales, the now-suspended president of the Spanish soccer federation, kissed Jenni Hermoso on the lips during the awards ceremony after Spain beat England to win the title on Aug. 20 in Sydney, Australia. ___ AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer
2023-09-08 19:54

Oregon man Jesse Johnson sentenced to death over 1988 murder released from prison for wrongful conviction
The Oregon Innocence Project accused the state of Oregon of perpetrating a 'heinous injustice' against Jesse Johnson, who spent 25 years behind bars
2023-09-08 19:27

KSI vows to keep IShowSpeed score at 'zero' points in much-awaited Sidemen Charity Match during livestream with Kai Cenat
KSI said, 'I know Speed’s gonna try and score against me so, I’m gonna concede zero, that is my mission to make Speed score zero'
2023-09-08 19:26

Russian missile attack kills policeman, injures 52 others in Zelenskyy's hometown in central Ukraine
A Russian missile attack on President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s hometown in central Ukraine has killed one policeman and injured at least 52 others
2023-09-08 19:25

Arkansas hospital sued thousands of patients over medical bills during the pandemic, including hundreds of its own employees
As Covid cases spread in 2020, visitors to the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences were greeted by a colorful sign put up by grateful neighbors outside the university's medical center: "Heroes Work Here."
2023-09-08 19:24

Fact check: Trump falsely claims polls show his Black support has quadrupled or quintupled since his mug shot
Former President Donald Trump falsely claimed Wednesday that polls show his support among Black Americans has quadrupled or quintupled since his mug shot was released.
2023-09-08 19:21

How tall is Kamala Harris? White House had to get new desk chairs when Vice-President took office
According to White House staffers, the desk chairs were so far used by men of average height
2023-09-08 18:59

India seeks a greater voice for the developing world at G20, but Ukraine war may overshadow talks
It’s never been easy for the leaders of the world’s largest economies to find common ground, but Russia’s war on Ukraine has made it even harder for the Group of 20 meeting to reach meaningful agreements this year
2023-09-08 18:58

Brussels Midi Station, once a stately gateway to Belgium, has turned into a festering sore
Belgium acknowledged Thursday that its major rail gateway, the Brussels Midi Station, has become a festering sore of drug abuse, poverty and violence that is a major stain on a nation preparing to take on the presidency of the European Union. The government vowed to tackle the problem, but some critics say action is coming way too late, while others say that any cleanup operation will only push the big-city problems to other neighbourhoods. Belgium, one of the wealthiest nations in the world, with a major tourism industry, has neglected the once-stately Midi Station for decades. It has become a symbol of dysfunctional government as increasingly many of the 160,000 daily commuters and tourists no longer fully feel safe. The increasing spread of crack cocaine and open dealing and use of drugs in the neighbourhood over the past year have exacerbated an already bad situation to the point that petty theft, fights and harassment of tourists have become everyday headline news in the nation of 11.5 million. Belgium takes on the presidency of the 27-nation EU in January for six months. Governments who hold the presidency typically use the opportunity to bask in the global attention to promote their nation. Prime Minister Alexander De Croo said at a news conference Thursday that he felt he had to take action and no longer leave security at such a key time to a warren of local authorities who had proven they were not up to the task. “The challenge is one of security that we owe to everyone passing through Brussels. It is about the livable conditions in the neighbourhood, and of course, it is about the image of Brussels and the image of our nation,” he said Thursday. As an immediate measure, it was announced that a special police station will be set up at the existing station at the train station to make interventions easier. But far more fundamental issues are at stake, said historian, former politician and Brussels pundit Luckas Vander Taelen. “Nobody has done anything for years. So this problem gets always worse. And that’s what happens today — everybody seems concerned. But I wonder what is going to change here," he said. Vander Taelen blamed Belgium's Byzantine political structure of overlapping local, regional and national authorities who he said all too often blame each other instead of actually doing something in unison. “There are too many levels of power in Brussels and that paralyses everything,” he said. As criticism mounted, police organized highly publicized raids through the massive railway station, picking up and detaining several people while a cleaning team did away with much of the muck and dirt. Those are only stop-gap solutions though, said Ariane Dierickx of the l'Ilot aid group, which provides services for the homeless and needy. “It was shocking to see that all these people that have been rejected by society are being picked up by police vans while they are not criminals,” she said. “It shows how inadequate the response is.” Dierickx said it would only move the problem to other areas. Belgium's image is being soiled in other places too, De Croo's critics say, since problems at the Nord Station, another major train hub in the capital, haven't been much better. One of the major issues has been the rise of drug trafficking and its accompanying violence in Belgium. The northern port of Antwerp has turned into a main gateway for Latin American cocaine cartels into the continent and cocaine seizures there have more than doubled in the past half decade, according to customs officials. Because of that, relatively inexpensive cocaine has boomed in Brussels and crack cocaine has become a massive security issue, especially around the Midi station. Read More Carrasco dismisses criticism of human rights in Saudi Arabia after transfer to Al Shabab Swimmers enjoy sunshine and a dip at lido celebrating 100th anniversary World War I memorials in France and Belgium are vying again to become UNESCO World Heritage sites Belgium imposes a ban on shelter for single men seeking asylum to make place for families The Ukraine war, propaganda-style, is coming to Russian movie screens. Will people watch? The Ukraine war, propaganda-style, is coming to Russian movie screens. Will people watch?
2023-09-08 18:47