Author: staff

Following the open criticism, Farage said that Lowe was “completely wrong” and that Reform UK was “absolutely not a protest party.” Writing in the Telegraph on Sunday, Farage acknowledged that the row had “dented” the “sense of unity” within the party, but said it would have been “inconceivable” not to take action.  “If the last general election taught us anything, it is that the public does not like political parties that engage in constant infighting,” Farage wrote, adding that while Reform had built a united party, “thanks to one of our MPs, Rupert Lowe, unloading a barrage of criticisms against…

“We must preserve national unity and internal peace, we can live together,” Sharaa said in a video quoted by Reuters, speaking at a mosque in his childhood neighborhood of Mazzah in Damascus. The clashes erupted on Thursday and marked a major escalation in the challenge to the new government led by Sharaa’s movement Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, or HTS, three months after the insurgents took over following the removal of Assad from power. Assad was ousted last December after decades of dynastic rule by his family, marked by severe repression and a devastating civil war. Alawites, however, had been a large…

The challenge of the Estonia Sauna Marathon is simple – how long can you stand the heat while dressed in a funny costume. The weekend long event is a great leveller for visitors but Maris Hellrand says saunas are a very serious part of Estonian culture. Every year, in early spring, the small southern Estonian town Otepää, which is also known as the country’s winter sports capital, sees the number of its saunas double or even triple for a weekend. This is the time of the annual European Sauna Marathon – and this year’s 14th edition attracted nearly 1000 participants…

New research from the UK and US has found that the music industry is not a safe profession due to its high risk of suicide and that women in the business are significantly more at risk. Poor mental health and music have a troubled shared history. From 27 Club examples like Kurt Cobain to recent pop stars like Liam Payne, suicide has a prevalent link to stardom. Now, research has confirmed that the career is directly linked to higher suicide risk levels. Research from the UK and US has found that the music industry is not a safe profession due…

The U.K. farming industry was devastated by an outbreak of the disease in 2001, with more than 2,000 farms affected and more than 6 million animals slaughtered. The reports from Hungary follow claims last month that banned German products were being “auto-cleared” to enter the U.K. six days after the ban was put in place, with experts blaming the incident on a failure to update the government’s import notification system, known as IPAFFs. Giving evidence to the environment, food and rural affairs committee earlier this week, NPA CEO Lizzie Wilson claimed illegal German products were still bypassing the border. Currently,…

Police say they interrupted a drug transaction outside a building in the 9th arrondissement of Paris. French prosecutors have detained a member of the Australian field hockey team at the Paris Olympics on allegations of trying to score cocaine.Authorities say police interrupted a drug transaction outside a building in the capital’s 9th arrondissement in the night between Tuesday and Wednesday.The case has been taken over by the police anti-drug unit, and the 17-year-old alleged seller has been arrested too.The Australian Olympic Committee said in a statement that no charges had been filed and that it is “continuing to make enquiries…

Italy has been grappling with its long history of femicide — the killing of women — particularly after the murder of 22-year-old university student Giulia Cecchettin. She was killed by her ex-boyfriend Filippo Turetta in November 2023, prompting thousands to take to the streets demanding change. More than 8,000 people attended Cecchettin’s funeral, including Meloni. Turetta was sentenced to life in prison in December. Italy’s interior ministry recorded 117 femicides in 2023. The country ranked 14th on the EU’s Gender Equality Index in 2024, coming in below the EU as a whole. Other member countries have made more progress in equality,…

The Paris Olympics have triggered major arguments between “ultra fans” in China, leading to the removal of thousands of social media posts and the suspension of hundreds of users. China has had enough of Paris Olympics-related rows and has begun to crack down on what it considers a “negative culture” of defamation and slander.Beijing authorities are lamenting a growth in online battles led by “fan leaders”, who are attacking athletes and other fans, and manipulating comment sections to spark conflict between fan groups.In the latest controversy, a 29-year-old Chinese woman was arrested after allegedly making defamatory posts about athletes and…

U.S. President Donald Trump initially rejected the plan, along with Israel, and has instead suggested that the Gaza Strip be turned into a “Middle East Riviera.” The Trump idea was quickly rebuked for its proposal to resettle Palestinians outside the territory. Trump’s plan would take 10 to 15 years and make Gaza uninhabitable in the interim. Steve Witkoff, the U.S. special envoy to the Middle East, walked back Trump’s condemnation of the Arab-backed plan on Thursday, telling reporters that “there are a lot of compelling features to it. We need more discussion about it, but it’s a good faith first…

Two triathlon athletes from the four-member Portuguese team who swam in the triathlon competition in the River Seine got sick amid concerns about the river’s water quality. Vasco Vilaça and Melanie Santos developed gastrointestinal infections after swimming in the Seine River on 5 August during their triathlon competition at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.Vilaça’s symptoms are stronger than his female counterpart, according to the Portuguese Olympic Committee (COP).”His clinical condition is stable and the COP health team is taking all measures to monitor and provide conservative treatment for the athlete in the Olympic Village,” stated the COP’s statement published on…