Boy, 17, accidentally shot dead with air rifle at Hampshire house party, inquest told

Boy, 17, accidentally shot dead with air rifle at Hampshire house party, inquest told

The Guardian •

Connor Bell died of his injuries after his friend Jack Beechy, 18, pulled the trigger, mistaking it for the safety catchA 17-year-old died after he was accidentally shot in the head with an air rifle by his friend at a house party, an inquest has been told.Connor Bell had been drinking at a friend’s house in Basingstoke, Hampshire on 8 November last year when Jack Beechy fired the fatal shot by mi...

EU leaders to ‘urgently’ call for new trade weapons to tackle China shock

EU leaders to ‘urgently’ call for new trade weapons to tackle China shock

SCMP •

Leaders of the EU’s 27 member states will instruct Brussels to “urgently” come up with new weapons to counter the imbalances they believe are caused by China’s economic policies, at a meeting in the Belgian capital on Thursday. The instruction – part of a draft statement being negotiated ahead of this week’s European Council summit – comes after the European Union and China reached a surprise deal...

New Yorker’s $3 yard sale bowl sells for $2.2 million

New Yorker’s $3 yard sale bowl sells for $2.2 million

Times of India •

A remarkable discovery unfolded in 2007 when a New Yorker purchased a small white bowl for merely three dollars during a yard sale. For years, this bowl was displayed proudly in their home until appraisers revealed its true worth: a rare 'Ding' ware from the Northern Song dynasty valued between $200,000 to $300,000. The piece garnered attention and sold for an astounding $2,225,000 at a Sotheby’s ...

Selena Gomez’s Rare Impact Fund raises $30 million to support youth mental health worldwide

Selena Gomez’s Rare Impact Fund raises $30 million to support youth mental health worldwide

Times of India •

Selena Gomez's Rare Impact Fund is dedicated to advancing youth mental health resources and education across the globe. Having already generated over $30 million, the fund collaborates with 30 nonprofits on five continents. Its goal is to raise $100 million to broaden mental health care accessibility. Recent events have gained traction, drawing support from various corporations and celebrities, hi...

Demolition Rule Changes Pause: Saratoga Springs mayor halts plan after opposition; safeguards stay

Demolition Rule Changes Pause: Saratoga Springs mayor halts plan after opposition; safeguards stay

Times of India •

Saratoga Springs Mayor John Safford has paused changes to historic building demolition rules following community backlash. Opposition arose during a public hearing where residents and preservationists expressed their concerns. The current demolition safeguards will remain while the city reviews its development regulations. Safford intends to revise other parts of the development rules despite the ...

Are Hungary and the EU friends again? The Ring in Budapest

Euronews •

The Ring visits Budapest to ask whether Prime Minister Péter Magyar has reset Hungary’s ties with the EU. After April’s landslide, Brussels agreed to release €16.4bn in blocked funds, but several issues remain unresolved.

France’s students are angry about more than crumbling classrooms and missing teachers

France’s students are angry about more than crumbling classrooms and missing teachers

The Guardian •

Beneath a wave of school protests in France lies a more existential worry: the future prospects of an entire generation• Don’t get This Is Europe delivered to your inbox? Sign up hereSay what you will about France’s high schools, they still produce world-class slogan writers. Here’s a brief selection spotted during three weeks of blockades and marches over chronic teacher shortages, overcrowded cl...

Hong Kong extends smart fire alarm scheme to another 6,000 old buildings

Hong Kong extends smart fire alarm scheme to another 6,000 old buildings

SCMP •

Hong Kong’s Fire Services Department has extended a scheme allowing property owners to install smart fire alarm systems rather than traditional safety equipment to another 6,000 old buildings, but conceded that no installations had been completed although the policy was rolled out over five months ago for 3,600 blocks. Lai Kin-mo, acting deputy chief fire officer for building improvement, said on ...

New York City moves to ban horse-drawn carriages

New York City moves to ban horse-drawn carriages

The Guardian •

Mamdani and city council leader agree on ban that would make it illegal to operate horse-drawn carriages in the cityMayor Zohran Mamdani and the leader of the New York City council have agreed to ban horse-drawn carriages from the city, a popular tourist attraction that has faced widespread scrutiny.Mamdani has agreed to back a bill supported by Julie Menin, the speaker of the New York City counci...