World
Exclusive: EU ‘not naïve’ about Russia-China ties, says Charles Michel
The European Union shouldn’t be naïve concerning the diplomatic rapprochement between Russia and China towards the backdrop of the Ukraine battle, European Council President Charles Michel stated on Wednesday.
However, he famous, the ever-closer relation shouldn’t deter Brussels from partaking with Beijing.
“We’re completely satisfied that it’s important that China would not assist Russia,” Michel informed Euronews in an unique interview recorded forward of a two-day leaders’ summit in Brussels.
“It is essential that China helps the worldwide legislation, the steadiness by means of the UN Constitution.”
“I am not naïve. I do know there are shut ties between China and Russia,” he went on.
“However then again, I believe that in these circumstances, it is extremely clear that we have to have interaction with China, not as a result of we agree on all the things with China, quite the opposite, however as a result of we have to defend our pursuits and to defend our ideas.”
In his interview with Euronews, Michel reaffirmed his assist for the 10-point peace plan proposed by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, which calls for the overall withdrawal of Russian troops and the restoration of Ukraine’s internationally-recognised borders.
Zelenskyy’s proposal stands in stark distinction with the 12-point doc just lately put ahead by China, the place the query of occupied land is conspicuously absent.
The Chinese language plan refers to worldwide legislation ideas however avoids describing the battle as a battle or invasion, as an alternative talking of a “disaster.” It additionally urges the lifting of “unilateral sanctions” and the top of “Chilly Conflict mentality” – language seen as barely-veiled criticism of Western allies.
“This peace plan shouldn’t be what we consider in,” Michel stated about Beijing’s pitch.
“We consider within the peace components proposed by President Zelenskyy, which is predicated on the UN constitution, the worldwide legislation and the multilateral strategy.”
‘No intention to assault Russia’
The European Council President described as “extraordinarily essential” the new tranche of navy assist accredited this week by EU international and defence ministers, which for the very first time options €1 billion to pay for the joint procurement of ammunition.
“It is a concrete determination for actual European defence. And you already know that previously, we mentioned so much this query, for some it was a theoretical debate. Now, that is the fact,” Michel informed Euronews.
“It was inconceivable to think about such a choice even just a few weeks earlier than the beginning of the full-scale invasion.”
Requested to attract the road between navy assist and lively belligerence, Michel stated the EU was legally entitled to assist a nation underneath assault.
“There isn’t any doubt that there is no such thing as a intention to assault Russia. There’s an aggressor: that is Russia. There are victims,” Michel stated.
“We’re supporting the worldwide legislation as a result of we all know that if we don’t assist Ukraine, it implies that the world might be much less secure sooner or later.”
‘Many tough challenges on the similar time’
Michel additionally mentioned the state of the European economic system, which has been severely battered by the ripple results unleashed by Russia’s battle.
“We really feel that it is essential to deal with the long-term competitiveness of the European Union. We face many tough challenges on the similar time,” Michel stated, citing excessive power costs, local weather change, the digital transition and the dearth of vital abilities.
Monetary nervousness elevated this month after the spectacular collapse of Silicon Valley Financial institution, the most important American financial institution to fall since 2008, and the government-brokered takeover of Credit score Suisse, Switzerland’s second-largest lender.
“We’re monitoring what’s occurring in Switzerland, in the USA,” Michel stated.
“However I’m assured that now we have the fitting instruments in an effort to make it possible for we hold a secure scenario.”
Within the president’s view, the newest developments ought to function an “further argument, not a set off” to advance talks on the long-stalled European banking union, which stays incomplete as a consequence of persistent divergences between member states.
The union’s third pillar, often called the European deposit insurance coverage scheme (EDIS), is the final piece within the puzzle ready to be agreed upon. Coincidently, EDIS is meant to forestall determined financial institution runs because the one which introduced down Silicon Valley Financial institution.
“Now we have been working so much on the query, however possibly it’s time to velocity up,” Michel stated. “And I hope it will likely be potential to present a political impetus.”
World
Justin Baldoni Sued by Former Publicist Amid Blake Lively Scandal
Justin Baldoni‘s former publicist sued him, his company and his current publicity team on Tuesday, amid a spiraling scandal over an alleged smear campaign against Baldoni’s “It Ends With Us” co-star Blake Lively.
Steph Jones, who owns Jonesworks, accused Baldoni of breaching their contract, which required him to pay her $25,000 per month. Baldoni dropped the firm in August, a few months into a year-long deal, after his Jonesworks publicist, Jennifer Abel, left the company to start her own publicity firm.
Jones also sued Abel and publicist Melissa Nathan, accusing them of implementing the smear campaign against Lively behind her back and without her knowledge. She alleges that they are now trying to blame her for the ensuing meltdown.
“To this day, Abel and Nathan continue to point the finger falsely at Jones now that their own misconduct is coming to light, and to defame and attack Jones in the industry,” the lawsuit states.
Lively filed a complaint on Saturday with the California Civil Rights Department, accusing Baldoni and his publicists of orchestrating negative coverage about her in retaliation for her complaints of sexual harassment on set.
In the complaint, Lively accused Baldoni of a catalog of sexually inappropriate comments and behavior that allegedly took place on set in 2023. According to the complaint, she raised these issues through her attorneys before filming, which had been suspended during the Hollywood strikes, resumed earlier this year.
The rift between Baldoni and Lively became apparent during the publicity tour for the film last summer. Baldoni feared that Lively or her team would public accuse him of sexual misconduct, and sought ways to combat that. The complaint quoted extensively from text messages among Baldoni’s publicity team, in which they plotted to “bury” Lively.
In an unusual move, Lively’s attorneys obtained the messages by sending a pre-litigation subpoena to Jones.
Abel, Nathan, and Baldoni are represented by attorney Bryan Freedman. On Monday, Freedman threatened to sue Jones for releasing the contents of Abel’s phone to Lively’s legal team. Freedman, Abel and Nathan did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Jones’ suit.
In her lawsuit, Jones relates that she “forensically preserved” Abel’s company phone after Abel was fired.
“Abel and Nathan’s covert take down and smear campaigns were revealed in black and white on Abel’s company-issued phone following her termination, which Jonesworks forensically preserved and examined in detail after receiving a subpoena for the phone’s contents,” Jones’ suit states. “Jones discovered the breadth and intensity of Abel and Nathan’s duplicity from these records, including that Abel was actively encouraging other Jonesworks clients and employees to leave Jonesworks while Abel was still employed there.”
Jones’ suit alleges that Abel conspired for months to leave her company and to “steal” her clients and trash her reputation in the industry. She accuses Nathan of encouraging Abel to leave, because Nathan would then have greater access to those clients.
“This scheme ultimately inflicted serious damage on Jones and Jonesworks,” states the lawsuit, which was filed in state court in New York.
Among other things, the suit alleges that Abel and Nathan planted negative stories about Jones in the press, including an article in Business Insider that was published last summer.
The suit alleges breach of contract, tortious interference with contract, breach of fiduciary duty and defamation.
World
Police officer dressed as the 'Grinch' steals Christmas spirit during drug bust
A Peruvian police officer dressed as the Grinch, the cantankerous and green-furred villain, busted suspected drug traffickers in the South American country’s capital days before Christmas.
The operation in San Bartolo in Lima resulted in the arrest of three suspects, according to a video posted online by the Peruvian National Police.
“In an ingenious operation, agents of the Green Squad arrested the aliases La Reina del Sur, La Coneja and Pote, alleged members of the La Mafia de San Bartolo gang, dedicated to drug dealing,” a police post on X states. “Various narcotics were seized.”
FLORIDA MAN WHO WAS HALF-NAKED, ‘HIGH ON METH’ BREAKS INTO HOME, GRABS CARPET CLEANER
Using what appeared to be a sledgehammer, the officer walked down the street dressed as the infamous Christmas villain with a small heart before breaking down the front door of a home and entering, according to the video footage.
The suspects were arrested, and the “Grinch” is seen rummaging through various items in the home before finding what authorities said were illegal drugs and other items related to drug trafficking.
MORE THAN $31M OF METH CONCEALED IN SHIPMENT OF PEPPERS SEIZED AT TEXAS-MEXICO BORDER
Peru is the second-largest producer of cocaine and cultivator of coca in the world, according to the State Department.
“The majority of cocaine produced in Peru is transported to South American countries for domestic consumption, or for onward shipment to Europe, the United States, East Asia, and Mexico,” the State Department website said.
Peru’s national police force has carried out similar operations in the past.
On Halloween 2023, officers disguised as horror favorites Freddy Krueger, Jason Voorhees and Tiffany Valentine, the murderous doll in the “Child’s Play” series, also broke into the home of alleged drug dealers.
World
Are your Christmas gifts ready? Here are where EU toys come from
While the EU saw a drop in toy exports, China was the EU’s biggest supplier, providing 80% of these imports, valued at €5.2 billion.
In 2023, the EU imported €6.5 billion worth of toys from countries outside the bloc, a €2 billion decrease compared to 2022.
According to the latest Eurostat figures, China was the EU’s biggest supplier, providing 80% of these imports, valued at €5.2 billion.
Vietnam followed with 6% and the United Kingdom with 2%.
Around a fifth of the EU’s toy imports ended up in Germany, while France and the Netherlands received 16% and 14%, respectively.
At the same time, the EU exported €2.3 billion worth of toys in 2023.
This figure represents a slight decrease of €0.2 billion from the previous year.
More than half of the toys exported from the EU came from the Czech Republic, Germany and Belgium.
The UK was the top destination for EU toy exports, receiving 30% of the total, followed by Switzerland at 13% and the United States at 10%.
Concerns over toy safety
A recent Toy Industries of Europe study revealed that 80% of toys purchased from third-party sellers on online marketplaces failed to meet EU safety standards.
The research tested over 100 toys from various platforms, uncovering serious health risks such as choking hazards and toxic chemicals.
At the beginning of September, the European Parliament backed a proposal to improve the safety of toys available on the EU market.
The proposal focused particularly on decreasing the number of unsafe toys in the EU market and better protecting children from toy-related risks, including banning harmful chemicals in toys.
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