An English tourist in his 40s has tragically passed away months after sustaining severe injuries in an alleged assault in Dublin’s Temple Bar district. The incident occurred in the early hours of August 21 at Temple Bar Square, a popular area known for its vibrant nightlife. The victim was initially rushed to Beaumont Hospital in critical condition before being transferred back to the United Kingdom for further medical care. Despite extensive treatment, he succumbed to his injuries recently. In connection with the case, a man in his 20s has been brought before the court, facing charges related to the assault. Irish broadcaster RTÉ reported the legal proceedings, highlighting the ongoing investigation by gardaí (Irish police). The case has drawn attention to safety concerns in Dublin’s bustling tourist areas.
标签： Europe
欧洲
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Brigitte Macron’s daughter testifies about alleged cyberbullying of France’s first lady
In a poignant testimony during the second day of a Paris trial, Tiphaine Auzière, the daughter of France’s first lady Brigitte Macron, detailed the profound impact of cyberbullying on her mother’s life. The trial involves ten individuals accused of spreading malicious claims online, including allegations about Brigitte Macron’s gender and sexuality, as well as insinuations linking the 24-year age gap between her and President Emmanuel Macron to “pedophilia.” Some of these posts have garnered tens of thousands of views. Auzière emphasized the deterioration in her mother’s living conditions, stating, “She cannot ignore the horrible things said about her.” She also highlighted the misuse of Macron’s images online, forcing her to be cautious about her appearance and daily life. The defendants, including an elected official, a teacher, and a computer scientist, argued that their comments were intended as humor or satire and expressed confusion over the charges. If convicted, they face up to two years in prison. Brigitte Macron did not attend the trial, and a verdict is expected at a later date. Auzière also revealed the broader impact on the family, particularly on her children and grandchildren, who face taunts at school. The Macron family has long been targeted by conspiracy theories alleging that Brigitte was born a man named Jean-Michel Trogneux, a claim they have consistently denied. In July, the Macrons filed a defamation suit in a Delaware court against U.S. conservative influencer Candace Owens, seeking substantial damages if she continues to propagate these claims. Brigitte and Emmanuel Macron, married since 2007, first met when he was her student at a high school in France. Emmanuel Macron has served as France’s president since 2017.
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Michael D Higgins returns to Áras after hospital stay
Irish President Michael D. Higgins has returned to Áras an Uachtaráin, his official residence, following a brief hospitalization to address a localized infection. On Sunday, President Higgins was admitted to St James’s Hospital in Dublin as part of a prearranged medical evaluation. A spokesperson confirmed on Tuesday that the president underwent a successful course of antibiotics to treat the condition. In a statement, President Higgins expressed his gratitude to the medical team for their care and thanked the public for their well-wishes during his hospital stay. President Higgins will continue his duties until November 11, when Catherine Connolly, his successor, is inaugurated at Dublin Castle. Connolly, an independent member of the Irish parliament, secured a historic 63% of first-preference votes in the recent presidential election, marking a record in Irish electoral history. However, the unprecedented number of spoiled votes, totaling 213,738, has sparked discussions among politicians about the need for electoral reform. Connolly was officially declared the 10th President of the Republic of Ireland on Saturday evening after defeating Fine Gael candidate Heather Humphreys.
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Bella Culley’s sentence reduced to two years
Bella Culley, a 19-year-old British woman from Billingham, Teesside, has secured a reduced sentence of two years through a plea bargain after being charged with drug smuggling in Georgia. Culley, who is 35 weeks pregnant, had faced the possibility of up to 20 years or life imprisonment if convicted. Her family paid £137,000 (500,000 Georgian Lari) as part of the agreement, though they were unable to secure her immediate release. Culley is now likely to give birth while incarcerated at Prison Number 5 in Tbilisi. Her next court appearance is scheduled for Monday. The case stems from her arrest at Tbilisi International Airport in May, where authorities discovered 12kg of marijuana and 2kg of hashish in her luggage. Culley has previously claimed she was coerced into transporting the drugs under torture. Plea bargains are a common resolution for drug-related crimes in Georgia, accounting for over 90% of such cases. Culley’s mother, Lyanne Kennedy, expressed optimism outside the court, stating her daughter appeared strong despite her advanced pregnancy. Her lawyer, Malkhaz Salakaia, confirmed that negotiations are nearing completion, with a technical issue delaying the finalization of the plea deal. Salakaia also indicated plans to appeal for a presidential pardon once the agreement is finalized. Culley had initially gone missing in Thailand before her arrest in Georgia. She maintains her innocence, asserting she was forced into the situation and is a university student with no history of drug use.
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Lawmakers move to extend Russia’s compulsory military draft to a year-round process
In a significant move to address ongoing military needs, Russian lawmakers have passed a bill mandating year-round military conscription, replacing the previous system limited to spring and fall. The legislation, approved by the State Duma in its final reading, transforms conscription into a continuous process, allowing authorities to summon draftees for medical examinations and other procedures at any time of the year. While conscripts will still enter service during specific spring and summer months, the new system aims to streamline operations and alleviate pressure on conscription offices.
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Polish prosecutors seek charges against ex-justice minister for misuse of funds
Polish prosecutors have formally requested the removal of parliamentary immunity for Zbigniew Ziobro, the former justice minister, amid allegations of abuse of power and financial misconduct. Ziobro, who served as justice minister and prosecutor general from 2015 to 2023 under the conservative Law and Justice party, is accused of misusing the Ministry of Justice’s fund for victims of violence. The fund was allegedly diverted to purchase Israeli Pegasus spyware, which was purportedly used to surveil political opponents. Prosecutors claim Ziobro led an organized crime group responsible for siphoning 150 million zloty ($42 million) from the Justice Fund for personal and political gains. The charges carry a potential maximum sentence of 25 years in prison. The current government, led by center-right Prime Minister Donald Tusk, has accused the previous administration of deploying Pegasus to spy on political adversaries, including members of Tusk’s party. Investigations into these claims are ongoing. Tusk’s administration has vowed to hold the former government accountable for alleged abuses. Waldemar Żurek, the current justice minister, emphasized that “there are no sacred cows” in pursuing justice. Ziobro, who was in Budapest on Monday, criticized Tusk on social media, labeling him a “Brussels-anointed prime minister.” Meanwhile, Hungary, under nationalist Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, has provided refuge to several Law and Justice-affiliated politicians sought by Polish authorities. Ziobro has previously defended the purchase of Pegasus, claiming it was used to uncover embezzlement of Polish assets.
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Bird flu hits migrating cranes hard in Germany as the virus flares up
In a tragic turn of events, the serene village of Linum, located just outside Berlin and renowned as a haven for birdwatchers, has become the epicenter of a devastating bird flu outbreak. Over the past week, volunteers have recovered nearly 2,000 dead cranes, marking a significant blow to the migrating bird population. Linum, typically a bustling rest stop for thousands of cranes migrating between the Baltic and Nordic regions and southern Europe, has seen its tranquil ponds and fields transformed into a grim scene of avian mortality.
The Friedrich Loeffler Institute, Germany’s national animal health authority, has reported 30 outbreaks of bird flu at poultry farms and among wild birds since early September. As a precautionary measure, over 500,000 chickens, ducks, geese, and turkeys have been culled. The current outbreak has particularly affected the majestic gray-and-white cranes, a species that has not previously experienced such severe impacts from bird flu on this migration route. Norbert Schneeweiss, an expert with Brandenburg state’s environment office, noted that while there was an outbreak among cranes in Hungary two years ago, the scale of the current crisis is unprecedented.
Volunteers, clad in full-body protective gear, have been tirelessly working to collect the lifeless bodies of the cranes from the water and reeds surrounding Linum. The task is both physically demanding and emotionally taxing. Lara Weinmann, one of the volunteers, expressed the emotional toll of the work, stating, ‘We try to convince ourselves that we’re doing something good for conservation and that it’s important. But of course, it does affect you.’
Efforts to mitigate the spread of the virus include reducing the attractiveness of the area to migrating birds by limiting water flow, thereby shrinking the resting area. However, Schneeweiss emphasized that resting places are scarce in Central Europe, making it challenging to deter the birds from stopping in Linum. The usual guided tours for bird enthusiasts have been canceled, further highlighting the severity of the situation.
While the outbreak appears to be under control locally, with the number of dead cranes slowing and no other wild birds yet showing symptoms, the broader implications of the virus are concerning. Although bird flu infections in humans are relatively rare, scientists fear that the virus could evolve to spread more easily among people, especially as it continues to affect other species, including some mammals.
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Pope urges Catholic teachers to focus less on professional outcomes, more on spiritual lives
ROME (AP) — Pope Leo XIV has issued a compelling directive to Catholic educators, urging them to prioritize the spiritual and moral development of students over pre-professional outcomes. Speaking during a special Holy Year celebration in Rome, which drew thousands of teachers, students, and administrators, the Pope emphasized the need to integrate technology in ways that uphold human dignity. This message was formalized in a document signed on Monday, updating the 1965 Vatican guidelines for Catholic education established during the Second Vatican Council. The Catholic Church remains a global leader in education, operating over 225,000 primary and secondary schools and enrolling 2.5 million students in Catholic universities worldwide. Pope Leo, an Augustinian, stressed the importance of parents as primary educators and called for Catholic schools to collaborate with families rather than replace them. He also highlighted the role of teachers as moral exemplars, stating, ‘Educators are called to a responsibility that goes beyond their work contract: their witness is worth as much as their lessons.’ The Pope avoided contentious issues like teachers’ private lives or sexual orientation, focusing instead on the broader mission of Catholic education. He critiqued the ‘mercantilist approach’ that reduces education to functionality and practical utility, advocating instead for a vision rooted in dignity, justice, and the common good. Building on Pope Francis’s priorities of inclusion, ecology, and the common good, Leo added three new emphases: fostering students’ spiritual lives, using non-violent language, and promoting responsible technology use, including artificial intelligence. ‘The Catholic school is a place where faith, culture, and life cross paths,’ he wrote. ‘It’s not just an institution, but a living environment in which the Christian vision permeates every discipline and every interaction.’
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French senators say security at the Louvre is ‘not in line’ with modern standards and demand action
A delegation of French senators conducted an inspection of the Louvre Museum on Tuesday, concluding that the institution’s security measures fall short of contemporary standards. This assessment follows a high-profile heist on October 19, where thieves stole jewels worth €88 million ($102 million) in under eight minutes. The intruders reportedly used a basket lift to scale the museum’s façade, forced open a window, breached display cases, and escaped undetected. Two suspects were subsequently arrested on Sunday and are currently under police interrogation. Senator Laurent Lafon, who chairs the Senate’s Culture Committee, emphasized the inadequacy of the Louvre’s security systems, stating, ‘We all noticed that the security equipment is not suitable for a 21st-century museum such as the Louvre. It is our flagship, it must be exemplary, and today we cannot describe the security conditions at the Louvre as exemplary.’ Lafon highlighted the need for significant improvements, particularly addressing vulnerabilities in outdoor surveillance cameras, though he refrained from divulging specific details due to confidentiality concerns. The senators have called for the expedited implementation of the ‘Louvre New Renaissance’ plan, a decade-long initiative launched earlier this year aimed at modernizing the museum’s infrastructure, reducing overcrowding, and creating a dedicated gallery for the Mona Lisa by 2031. The project, estimated to cost up to €800 million ($933 million), is currently under discussion as part of France’s 2026 budget deliberations.
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Ukraine’s long-range strikes cut Russia’s oil refining capacity by 20%, Zelenskyy says
In a significant development in the ongoing conflict, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced that Ukraine’s targeted long-range strikes on Russian oil refineries have successfully reduced Moscow’s oil refining capacity by 20%. Speaking to the media on Monday, Zelenskyy emphasized that over 90% of these deep strikes were executed using Ukrainian-made long-range weapons. He highlighted the urgent need for additional foreign financial assistance to bolster domestic production of these critical armaments. ‘We must remain relentless in our efforts,’ Zelenskyy stated, underscoring the importance of sustained pressure on Russia’s energy infrastructure. Oil exports are a cornerstone of Russia’s economy, funding its prolonged invasion of Ukraine. In tandem with Ukraine’s military actions, the U.S. and the European Union have imposed new sanctions aimed at curtailing Moscow’s oil and gas export revenues. Despite renewed peace initiatives led by the U.S., the war shows no signs of abating after nearly four years. The Kremlin’s refusal to compromise has prompted U.S. President Donald Trump to escalate measures, including sanctions against Russian oil giants Rosneft and Lukoil, set to take effect on November 21. Zelenskyy speculated that Trump might leverage these sanctions as a diplomatic tool in future negotiations with Russia. Meanwhile, Ukraine continues to fortify its defenses, with Zelenskyy revealing that the country has captured 2,200 Russian prisoners of war in the eastern region this year. Additionally, Ukraine is engaging in talks with Sweden, France, and the U.S. to enhance its combat aviation capabilities, with a request for a fleet of 250 new aircraft. As winter approaches, Ukraine has secured 70% of the $2 billion needed for gas imports to sustain heating systems amid Russia’s intensified attacks on energy infrastructure. Furthermore, Ukraine is ramping up production of interceptors to counter Russian drone assaults, aiming to produce 500-800 units daily by next month.