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rpannier

(24,329 posts) Sat Aug 22, 2020, 06:55 AM Aug 2020

5 Stories from Europe You May Have Missed

1. Crime Boss Of Post-Soviet Underworld Shot Dead In Turkey

The killing of a notorious crime boss from the Caucasus region is echoing across the criminal underworld of the former Soviet Union, with reverberations reaching an alleged Uzbek crime boss in Turkey who is the nephew of the former international amateur boxing chief.

Nadir "Lotu Guli" Salifov, a reputed member of the "thieves-in-law" criminal syndicate, had been known as a top crime boss in Russia and Azerbaijan.

He was shot dead at a restaurant in Turkey's southern coastal city of Antalya on the evening of August 19.

Multiple underworld sources have told RFE/RL that the killer was one of Salifov's bodyguards.

https://www.rferl.org/a/crime-boss-of-post-soviet-underworld-shot-dead-in-turkey/30796157.html

2. EU gives green light to €290 million state aid package for struggling Brussels Airlines

The European Commission gave the green light on Friday for the Belgian government to inject €290 million of state aid into Brussels Airlines, Belgium's ailing flag carrier which has been hard-hit by the ongoing pandemic.

Brussels Airlines, a subsidiary of the SN Group which is in turn owned by the Lufthansa Group, will receive a €287 million loan payable over six years, as well as an additional €3 million in equity.

The coronavirus outbreak has been a testing period for the aviation industry, leading a number of European governments to step in to save longstanding airline companies from bankruptcy.

https://www.euronews.com/2020/08/21/eu-gives-green-light-to-290-million-state-aid-package-for-struggling-brussels-airlines

3. Boris Johnson forced to cut Scottish holiday short after newspaper images reveal location, reports suggest

Boris Johnson and his fiance Carrie Symonds were forced to cut their Scottish holiday short after their location was leaked, according to reports.

Images of the prime minister’s cottage and a tent the pair had pitched on the west coast, near Applecross, were published on the front page of Friday’s Daily Mail.

The PM was reportedly advised to cut short his first holiday in six months – which he briefly paused on Monday to discuss the exams fiasco with education secretary Gavin Williamson – by minders who believed the images put the couple at risk of sniper fire.

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/boris-johnson-holiday-scotland-carrie-symonds-pictures-applecross-exams-tent-a9683081.html

4. 'I'm up for the fight': Chris Jackson to be first black scientist to give Christmas lecture

Prof Chris Jackson, who this year will be the first black person to present the Royal Institution Christmas lectures, has said such organisations have a key role to play in addressing issues including racism and transphobia.

Jackson is one of three UK academics presenting this year’s lectures, called Planet Earth: A User’s Guide.

Speaking to the Guardian, the professor of geology at Imperial College London said racism in the scientific community had prevented black academics from previously being asked to present.

“There’s clearly been black scientists in the past who could have given these lectures,” he said, noting the walls of the Royal Institution, Royal Society and other prestigious establishments are replete with portraits of white, male scientists.

https://www.theguardian.com/science/2020/aug/22/christmas-lectures-first-black-presenter-chris-jackson

5. Golfgate: Irish minister and senator resign after attending event that broke COVID-19 rules

A political crisis is engulfing the Irish government after it emerged that several prominent figures, including a government minister, senators, an EU commissioner and a Supreme Court judge, attended a golfing event that breached official COVID-19 rules.

The Minister of Agriculture, Dara Calleary resigned his post on Friday after it emerged he had attended a dinner for 80 people hosted by the Oireachtas Golf Society, a parliamentary group which organises regular golf outings.

The dinner was also attended by Senator Jerry Buttimer, the deputy chairperson of the Seanad, the Irish Senate, who also resigned on Friday.

Ireland's EU commissioner, Phil Hogan and Supreme Court justice and former Attorney General, Séamus Wolfe were also attendance at the event in Clifden, County Galway on Wednesday. They are both also facing calls to resign.

https://www.euronews.com/2020/08/21/golfgate-irish-minister-and-senator-resign-after-attending-event-that-broke-covid-19-rules