Why Pakistanis are taking the dangerous Libya route to Europe
Thousands of Pakistanis have risked reaching Europe through Libya this year, many have disappeared.
2023-08-01 08:53
Prices in UK Shops Drop for the First Time in Two Years
Prices in UK stores fell for the first time in two years, in another sign that the cost-of-living
2023-08-01 07:15
Spanish beaches closed after ‘abnormal’ levels of bacteria detected in water
Two popular Spanish beaches were forced to close after “abnormal” levels of bacteria were detected in the water. Urbanova and San Gabriel beaches in Alicante were closed on Friday over the levels of enterococci in the sea, the General Directorate of Water and the Alicante City Council said. Authorities carried out tests in the water before the beaches were reopened on Saturday when bacteria levels in the water returned to a normal level, according to local media reports. Experts are said to have ruled out that the bacteria levels were caused by river discharge or from the treatment plant in the San Gabriel. It comes after the beaches of Medicalia, Puig Val, Old Fishermen’s Quarter and Els Plans were closed on July 22 after a thick, grainy, white substance was found on the shore. Swimmers were also told to avoid the coast of the holiday hotspot resort of El Puig, near Valencia, as authorities struggled to determine what the substance was. Samples have been taken and experts are still working to identify the substance, but the beaches have since reopened. Meanwhile, tourists were urged to stay vigilant on beaches in France and Spain earlier this month due to a surge of toxic algae, which experts warn could cause skin irritation, gastric disorders, nausea, vomiting, and flu-like symptoms. Climate change has led to warmer semi-tropical seas around Europe, causing higher levels of the poisonous Ostreopsis algae, according to Spain’s Institute of Marine Sciences. “The rising water temperature in the Mediterranean will cause the spread of toxic algae Ostreopsis, which will linger for longer and in greater quantities, possibly posing a threat to tourism in the future,” said Dr Elisa Berdalet, from the Institute of Marine Sciences. Read More Scorched beaches in France and Spain face surge in toxic algae caused by warmer climate Spain holidaymakers warned after 48 beaches hit with ‘Black Flag’ due to pollution and dog poo Headless ‘baby’ body found washed up on Spanish beach
2023-07-31 19:51
Ukraine war – live: Zelensky condemns Russia’s ‘terror’ attacks on hometown as child amongst multiple dead
Ukraine president Volodymyr Zelensky has condemned Russia’s “terror” attacks on his hometown of Kryvyi Rih that left four people, including a 10-year-old child, dead. “Regions of Ukraine are being shelled by the occupiers, who continue to terrorise peaceful cities and people,” Mr Zelensky wrote on Twitter. “Unfortunately, there are dead and wounded. There may be people under the rubble. My condolences to all those who have lost their loved ones because of Russian terror.” The deputy head of Volodymyr Zelensky’s office, Oleksiy Kuleba also confirmed one person had been killed in Kherson, claiming an attack by Moscow. Calling for revenge, Mr Kuleba wrote on the Telegram messaging app: “The enemy is hitting settlements and cities. This is terror due to the despair and defeat of the Russian Federation at the front. This is terror to intimidate and break Ukrainians. Both sides reported casualties on Monday amid heavy fighting, as Ukraine reported it had recaptured nearly 15 square km (5.8 square miles) of land from Russian troops in the east and south over the last week. The Russian-installed head of Ukraine’s Donetsk region said that two people had been killed and four injured in Ukrainian shelling of Donetsk city, the regional capital. Read More War is returning to Russia, Zelensky warns, as Moscow rocked by drone attacks Russian anti-war activists hold protest after activists face entry, residence problems in Serbia I have a frozen embryo in Russia called Tallulah – the war in Ukraine means it’s trapped there Dramatic moment shows explosion hit Russian administration building in Donetsk
2023-07-31 19:51
Remi Lucidi: ‘Enigma’ daredevil who climbed skyscrapers across the world
Tributes poured in for 30-year-old French "daredevil" Remi Lucidi who loved to climb skyscrapers – often without a harness. Lucidi was at the Tregunter Tower complex in Hong Kong when he fell to his death from the 68th floor after reportedly getting trapped outside a penthouse. Lucidi began climbing skyscrapers in 2016 and travelled the world attempting to scale tall buildings. His Instagram profile, where he went by the username Remu Enigma, is a gallery of hair-rising images of Lucidi posing at the top of high-rise scaffolding and buildings in several countries, including Ukraine, Dubai, Bulgaria, and France. He turned 30 this February and commemorated the milestone by posting his picture with a cake emoji in the caption. In a photo posted on 16 July, Lucidi took a selfie while hanging off the stairs of the top of a building in Gabrovro, Bulgaria. He captioned the picture: “Life is too short to chase unicorns.” In most of the images and videos posted from his account, which has over 5,200 followers, he can be seen clinging to the spires of tall buildings without any protective gear. Last year he shared footage of him balancing on the edge of a 980-foot-high chimney in France without any harness. Lucidi’s last post on Instagram is from six days before his death, where he shared a photo of Times Square in Causeway Bay, Hong Kong. That post is now filled with comments of people, expressing shock at his demise. “Stakes are high searching for amazing experiences. Eternal respect rest in peace,” wrote one user. “Lived his life to the fullest always seeking adventure, didn’t let fear get in the way,” added another person. “Life is truly short, rest easy brother... .” While not much is known about Lucidi's family, his hostel owner in Tsim Sha Tsui described him as a "healthy and fit and happy-faced" person. "He told me he was going to hike a mountain when I asked where he was going. He said he wanted to hike a lot when he was here," Gurjit Kaur told South China Morning Post. “I feel very sad,” the owner added. According to investigators, Lucidi arrived at the building in the evening and told the security guard that he was visiting a friend on the 40th floor. He is believed to have made his way to the top floor and reportedly got trapped outside and frantically started knocking on a window, startling a maid inside. Surveillance footage shows Lucidi taking the lift to the 49th floor before taking the stairs to the top. He was last seen knocking on the building's windows calling for help. The stuntman then lost his footing and fell, dying instantly. According to reports, the French consulate has been informed of Lucidi’s death while the Hong Kong police are investigating the incident. Read More Remi Lucidi death: French daredevil known for skyscraper stunts plummets to death from 68th floor Skepticism prevails as Chinese leaders promise to back private businesses to spur slowing economy Hong Kong court rejects government bid to ban protest song citing freedom of expression Stock market today: European shares open mixed after Asia rallies on hopes for Chinese stimulus Live: Fans gather inside funeral hall to mourn singer-songwriter Coco Lee Fans pay tribute to Coco Lee, Hong Kong singer who had international success
2023-07-31 19:21
Denmark Could Ban Koran Burnings That Insult Muslims
Denmark will explore possible legal grounds to block public burnings of the Koran as the Nordic country tries
2023-07-31 18:50
Brit mum in car with six family members among dead in France horror crash
A British mother is among the victims of a fatal crash in France on Sunday, authorities have said. The collision took place on the A26 motorway, south of Lens in northern France. At least three people lost their lives in the crash which involved 17 people, including eight children. Three cars were involved in the accident and over 65 firefighters attended the scene. The British mother, aged 40, was in a van with six members of her family. She died instantly. In the second car, a 75-year-old woman and a 45-year-old man died and could not be resuscitated, according to Le Sud Ouest. Two other passengers, a 14-year-old boy and a 79-year-old man, were transported by helicopter to the Lille University Hospital and the Arras hospital center. Four passengers were in the third car, including three children. They were slightly injured in the crash but were not taken to hospital. An emergency services spokesperson said: “Three people are dead and dozens injured, including many children. A van with a British family of seven people on board was one of the three vehicles involved in the crash. “A 40-year-old British woman died instantly, along with two others travelling in another vehicle. The other passengers – aged between six and 48 – were taken to hospital in Cambrai and Arras.” More to follow... Read More West African nations threaten to use force if Niger's president isn't reinstated within a week Europe's economy shows modest growth after months of stagnation as rate hikes weigh on businesses As regional and global powers decry Niger's coup, the country's future remains uncertain
2023-07-31 18:25
Revealed: The cheapest pints of beer in Europe - with some for less than £1
With the cost of beer going up and up in the UK, holidaymakers are enjoying a pint for around a pound on holiday in Europe and the taste isn’t bad either. The British Beer & Pub Association recently found that on average a pint will set you back £4.07 in the UK - and £4.84 in London - which the Office of National Statistics has found is a yearly rise of nearly 12 per cent. However, finder.com puts the cost of the average pint in London at £5.50 and anyone who has been to the theatre recently will know the cost can be higher still. Perhaps surprisingly to some, the UK does not have the highest average price for a pint in Europe - with research by The Drinks Business last year giving that unwanted honour to Norway, where a pint will set you back £7.55. But while the cost of going to Europe will probably set you back more than you could save on the drinks - unless you are planning a long stay or a lot of beers - a cheaper price can ease the financial burden of going on holiday. Here are the places to go to in Europe for a cheap drink Although we one day hope they will again welcome tourists, Belarus and Ukraine are perhaps not the best holiday options in 2023 despite their cheap drink options. Vouchers.co.uk looked into Numbeo’s Cost of Living database to find the top ten cheapest pints in Europe in August last year and put the two countries at first and second respectively. Research found a pint will cost an average of 71p in Belarus and 90p in Ukraine. However, a better option might be Azerbaijan, another Eastern European nation where you can buy a pint for less than £1 with the average beer being just 91p. Moldova and Albania were not far behind at £1.05 and £1.07 respectively. Andrea Knowles, personal finance expert from Vouchers.co.uk said: “The price of everything seems to keep going up and up, and this includes your favourite tipple – and this seems to be the case whether you are visiting your local pub or looking for a refreshment whilst on holiday. “Whilst not all of these locations will be top of the list for holidaymakers this year, our analysis does well to show overall where holidaymakers can get the most bang for their buck when it comes to beer prices around the continent”. @simplyyykatie The cheapest European cities..💰✈️ Who doesn't love a £1 pint?🍻 #traveltiktok #europe #europetravel #cheaptravel ♬ Good Vibes (Instrumental) - Ellen Once Again Hungary, Poland, Romania and Bulgaria are good options too For more conventional holiday hotspots around Europe there is good beer to be had for a great price in Hungary, Poland, Romania and Bulgaria - all countries that are on the end of plenty of flights from the UK on a daily basis. TikTok influencer Simply Katie has travelled Europe in search of the cheapest beer and found Hungarian capital Budapest can offer a pint for £1.21. The city is set to host the World Athletics Championships next month but is actually the most expensive in the country for the price of beer, according to vouchers.co.uk. The website found a drink will cost only £0.87 in Szeged if you are prepared to travel further into Hungary. “There are so many sights to see and you have to visit the thermal baths,” Katie said in the video. Simply Katie found Romanian capital Bucharest was a good option - with a pint going for just £1.48. She also found over in Poland that £2 is all it takes for a good beer in Krakow, while further digging can find that a beer can be bought for £1.49 in the historic city of Lublin. Another TikTok user Staceyistired commented: “No joke I went to Krakow two years ago and spent £60 in 3 days, we did all the museums.” "Who doesn’t love a £1 pint?" Simply Katie wrote with the accompanying video last month. Previous Euro travellers have also found Sofia in Bulgaria to be a good option with a Kozel beer on tap for the equivalent of around £2. Here is the full top ten according to the vouchers.co.uk list 1. Belarus (£0.71) 2. Ukraine (£0.90) 3. Azerbaijan (£0.91) 4. Moldova (£1.05) 5. Albania (£1.07) 6. North Macedonia (£1.24) 7. Kosovo [Disputed Territory] (£1.28) 8. Bosnia And Herzegovina (£1.29) 9. Bulgaria (£1.31) 10. Hungary (£1.31) Read More Heineken says customers bought less beer after price increases Cats on tap: Meet the New York brewery cats living their best lives Harry Potter superfans celebrate birthday of wizard with movies and ‘butterbeer’ LGBTQ+ community proud and visible at Women's World Cup Youth coach hopes Women's World Cup raises soccer's profile for Maori people in New Zealand New Zealand Women's World Cup team evacuated because of hotel fire in second security incident
2023-07-31 18:16
Euro Zone Returns to Growth as Core Inflation Stays Strong
The euro-area economy returned to growth while underlying inflation pressures persisted — supporting early arguments for the European
2023-07-31 17:54
Italy’s Economy Unexpectedly Shrinks in Setback for Meloni
Italy’s economy unexpectedly contracted in the second quarter, a setback for premier Giorgia Meloni’s government as it tries
2023-07-31 17:21
UK Pledges Hundreds of New North Sea Oil and Gas Licenses in Energy Push
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak committed to granting hundreds of new licenses for oil and gas production in the
2023-07-31 15:58
Secret Deals With Russia Help Kim Jong Un Fund Nuclear Program
Reports of new types of sugar in the local markets. Satellite imagery of trains crossing borders. Cargo ships
2023-07-31 11:56