- Bulgarian government withdraws budget proposal after largest protests in a decade politico.eu
- Thousands rally in Bulgaria against 2026 budget, clash with police Reuters
- Bulgaria ditches budget plan after tens of thousands join protests BBC
- Bulgarian government pulls budget amid fierce protests Al Jazeera
- Bulgaria in budget turmoil as it prepares to adopt the euro Financial Times
Sea World helicopter pilot ‘had a breakdown and took cocaine’ before crash, inquest told
Ashley Jenkinson, who died in the crash on 2 January 2023, was seen inhaling a white powder at a New Year’s Eve party
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A helicopter pilot involved in one of Australia’s worst air disasters had a mental “breakdown” and used cocaine the day before making tourist joy flights, a coroner has heard.
Ashley Jenkinson, 40, was among four people who died when his Sea World chopper collided midair with another outside the Gold Coast theme park on 2 January 2023.
Continue reading...Death toll from Indonesia floods and landslides passes 700 – Reuters
- Death toll from Indonesia floods and landslides passes 700 Reuters
- In Photos and Video: Devastating Floods Swamp Parts of Asia The New York Times
- Deadly floods in Indonesia, Sri Lanka, Thailand and Malaysia kill more than 1,400 people Yahoo
- ‘Like a tsunami’: Asia reels from deadly cyclones and monsoon rains CNN
- Over 1,000 Killed and Hundreds Missing After Heavy Rain Triggers Flooding and Mudslides People.com
Bid by Gina Rinehart’s company to build helipad set to be blocked by City of Perth
Hancock says facility is ‘modern necessity’ but opponents argue the noise would disrupt local businesses
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Gina Rinehart’s company has claimed helicopter pads are a necessity of modern business as it fights to install one at its new headquarters in West Perth.
The City of Perth on Tuesday recommended councillors block the request from Hancock Iron Ore to install a helipad as it redevelops its offices.
Continue reading...Bulgaria ditches budget plan after tens of thousands join protests
Demonstrators said the plan - the country's first in euros - attempted to hide widespread government corruption.
Imran Khan’s isolation in jail: Family seeks ‘proof of life’ amid massive PTI protests — what we know so far – livemint.com
- Imran Khan's isolation in jail: Family seeks ‘proof of life’ amid massive PTI protests — what we know so far livemint.com
- Imran Khan's Big Charge Against Asim Munir In 20-Minute Meeting With Sister NDTV
- Imran Khan In Good Health After Concerns Mounted for Weeks Bloomberg.com
- Ex-PM Imran Khan healthy but cut off in Pakistan jail, sister says Al Jazeera
- 'My brother is alive but being mentally tortured': Imran Khan's sister after jail visit; ex-PM blames Asim Munir The Times of India
The end of the climate cult – The Spectator World
- The end of the climate cult The Spectator World
- Read the COP small print Financial Times
- No roadmap to end deforestation, but Brazil’s COP in the Amazon delivered for forests Reuters
- Are UN climate summits a waste of time? No, but they are in dire need of reform The Conversation
- Beyond the negative headlines, some truly good things came out of Cop30 The Guardian
Unjammable drones are leaving wires everywhere, forcing Ukrainian troops to move with caution – Business Insider
- Unjammable drones are leaving wires everywhere, forcing Ukrainian troops to move with caution Business Insider
- Russia Gains the Upper Hand in the Drone Battle, Once Ukraine’s Forte The Wall Street Journal
- Drones have already revolutionized warfare. They’re about to do it again CNN
- The Take: How Ukraine turned into the world’s drone testing lab Al Jazeera
- U.S., Taiwan Need Interceptor Drones And Wide-Area Jammers Trench Art | David Axe
‘Hung by my wrists and beaten’: Israeli-Russian woman says Iraqi militants tortured her in captivity
Elizabeth Tsurkov, who was freed in September, tells the BBC that her two years in captivity left her physically and mentally scarred.
Thousands Greet Pope Leo in Lebanon, as He Prays at Beirut Blast Site – The New York Times
- Thousands Greet Pope Leo in Lebanon, as He Prays at Beirut Blast Site The New York Times
- Pope at Mass: Disarm our hearts to bring peace, justice to Lebanon Vatican News
- Pope in Lebanon asks for ‘divine gift of peace’ alongside country’s Christian and Muslim leaders Politico
- Pope Leo XIV prays at Armenian cathedral in Istanbul as Turkey and Armenia attempt reconciliation AP News
- Tens of thousands hear Pope Leo call for an end to 'mindset of revenge and violence' at site of huge Beirut blast NBC News
AI’s impact could worsen gaps between world’s rich and poor, a UN report says – AP News
US Navy admiral ordered second deadly Venezuela boat strike, White House says
The strikes, authorised by Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth, have raised fresh legality questions - but the White House says laws have been followed.
Hong Kong responds to disaster differently from Beijing – but the gulf is narrowing
Independent inquiry into fire and media questions to leader would not happen in mainland China, but crackdown on dissent has begun
As Hong Kong mourns the victims of its worst fire in decades, the response to the disaster reveals the ways in which the semi-autonomous city retains differences from mainland China – and how some of those differences are being eroded.
Hong Kong’s leader, John Lee, announced on Tuesday the creation of an “independent committee” to investigate the blaze, which killed 151 people at the Wang Fuk Court apartment complex in Hong Kong’s New Territories.
Continue reading...Europe needs its ‘own plan’ for Ukraine, Kubilius tells Euronews – Euronews.com
- Europe needs its 'own plan' for Ukraine, Kubilius tells Euronews Euronews.com
- Trump Cut Europe Out of Ukraine Talks. Here’s How Europe Pushed Back. The New York Times
- Trump's push to end Ukraine war raises fears of 'ugly deal' for Europe Reuters
- Europe’s psychology of weakness politico.eu
- The EU Is the Wrong Power Player for Ukraine Bloomberg.com
Putin and Trump’s envoy set for key Ukraine talks in Moscow
Steve Witkoff will hold talks at the Kremlin, after the White House said it was "optimistic" about a breakthrough.
China and Japan boats face off near contested islands as feud worsens – BBC
- China and Japan boats face off near contested islands as feud worsens BBC
- China, Japan give conflicting accounts of confrontation around Senkaku Islands Reuters
- Chinese and Japanese coastguard ships confront each other near disputed islands South China Morning Post
- Japan and China trade accusations after coast guard incident in disputed waters abc.net.au
- Japanese fishing vessel expelled after illegally entering territorial waters of China's Diaoyu Dao Xinhua
A third Russian tanker attacked in the Black Sea, Turkish authority says – AP News
India tells smartphone makers to put state-run cyber safety app on new devices
India wants all smartphone makers to pre-install new devices with a state-owned cyber security app.
Death toll in Indonesia floods passes 600
Another 500 people are missing, while thousands more have been injured after a cyclone hit the region.
Ukraine war live: Trump envoy Steve Witkoff set to meet Vladimir Putin in Moscow amid US push for peace deal
Talks come after Witkoff led US discussions with Ukraine at weekend amid European concerns that Kyiv will be pressured to make concessions to Moscow
Finland and Sweden have announced increased collaboration between the neighbouring Nordic countries including on defence, civil preparedness and cyber security.
In a joint statement, the Swedish prime minister, Ulf Kristersson, and his Finnish counterpart, Petteri Orpo, said they would be deepening bilateral cooperation in response to “Russia’s offensive war against Ukraine and increasing geopolitical and economic challenges”.
This work is done with a clear focus on interoperability and being able to act jointly in the face of external threats.
Since last year, Sweden has also assumed the role of the framework nation for Nato’s forward-looking ground force FLF Finland [Nato’s forward land forces], a step in our joint commitment to security in the region.
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