A Belgian car salesman became a prince after Prince Laurent formally recognized Clément Vandenkerckhove, 26, as his secret son. Vandenkerckhove was legally recognized by Laurent, 63, King Philip’s younger brother, as his son and heir in a quiet town hall ceremony about six months ago, with details only now emerging, The Telegraph reported on Wednesday. … Read more
Hong Kong Tiananmen activists convicted in national security trial BBC Hong Kong’s Tiananmen vigil fell into obscurity years ago. Now its organizers have been convicted CNNHong Kong court condemns activists who organized Tiananmen vigils WSJTiananmen Square vigil organizers found guilty in Hong Kong of ‘inciting subversion’ The GuardianHong Kong condemns Tiananmen vigil leaders for subversion … Read more
Two Hong Kong activists who organized annual vigils to commemorate China’s deadly Tiananmen crackdown in 1989 were found guilty of “inciting subversion,” in one of the most high-profile cases in Hong Kong since Beijing imposed its national security law in 2020. Lee Cheuk-yan, 69, and Chow Hang-tung, 41, “incited others to organize, plan, commit or … Read more
Comment: Putin’s empty threats to the United Kingdom are the last gasp of a dying Russia. Time and time again, we see that Moscow’s red lines are drawn with disappearing ink; If anything, we should take a warning of “serious consequences” only as a signal to push things further and faster, says Bill Browder. Read … Read more
Israel’s far-right national security minister, Itamar Ben-Gvir, has released a video gloating about the construction of a gallows complex where Palestinians convicted of terrorist crimes will be hanged, but not Jewish extremists accused of similar crimes. Ben-Givr, who has previously been the subject of international sanctions and condemnation for his activities, said the new execution … Read more
Nathan Cofnas, the academic who accused Professor Jason Arday of plagiarism before his death, has been suspended by a university. Arday, 41, resigned from his position at Cambridge University this month after coverage of Cofnas’ plagiarism allegations. The allegations, which were not proven in any formal investigation, raised questions about Arday’s accomplishments. There has been … Read more
The mayor of Como has set off controversy by banning bicycles in the city’s walled lakeside historic center after being hit by one. Alessandro Rapinese’s ban, which comes into effect in September, affects about 30 streets and means cyclists, whether on electric or push bikes, will have to dismount and walk through those areas. Activists … Read more
Russian forces launched ballistic missile attacks on Ukraine’s capital kyiv, killing at least 16 people and wounding 33, officials said. Explosions occurred in several districts of kyiv early Thursday, shaking buildings and setting off car alarms, according to the Kyiv Independent, a Ukrainian news outlet. Solomianskyi, a nine-story residential building collapsed and caught fire following … Read more
Nazi Shipwrecks – Prahovo, Serbia: At least 20 shipwrecks have been seen from the riverbank in Prahovo, near the border between Serbia and Romania, this summer. Some are still believed to contain weapons or explosives, so it is better to view them from the bank than to approach them. Visibility will change as the river … Read more
KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Russia attacked the Ukrainian capital, kyiv, and the surrounding region with dozens of missiles and drones in an overnight airstrike that lasted hours and killed at least 16 people, officials said Thursday. Moscow’s forces have in recent months stepped up their ballistic missile attacks on kyiv, exploiting Ukraine’s chronic shortage of … Read more