Heidi Agan, a former waitress from Corby, Northamptonshire, UK, who swapped her £6-per-hour job to become a £650-per-appearance Kate Middleton lookalike, has “become pregnant” to maintain accuracy. Heidi Agan, a 32 year-old single mother-of-two, now has a “bump made in various sizes”. She quit her job at a Kettering restaurant last May after customers repeatedly… Continue reading Heidi Agan: Kate Middleton lookalike “becomes pregnant” to maintain accuracy
Category: Europe News
Europe news
Pope Francis to attend Rio World Youth Day 2013 in July
Pope Francis has announced in his Palm Sunday homily he will visit Brazil in July for the World Youth Day in Rio de Janeiro. The Pope will attend the Catholic youth gathering in Rio de Janeiro, saying Mass on Copacabana beach and praying at the Christ the Redeemer statue. Pope Francis spoke in St Peter’s Square… Continue reading Pope Francis to attend Rio World Youth Day 2013 in July
Pope Francis celebrates Palm Sunday Mass
Pope Francis has begun the Catholic Church’s most important liturgical season with a Palm Sunday Mass at the Vatican. 250,000 pilgrims crowded St Peter’s Square for the outdoor Mass marking the start of Holy Week.that marks the start of Holy Week. Sprigs of olive trees have been distributed to the faithful in remembrance of Jesus’ triumphant… Continue reading Pope Francis celebrates Palm Sunday Mass
Boris Berezovsky death: Russian tycoon’s house searched for chemical and biological contamination
British police with expertise in environments contaminated with chemical, biological and nuclear material are searching the house of the late exiled Russian tycoon Boris Berezovsky. Boris Berezovsky, 67, was found dead on Saturday, and a Thames Valley police cordon remains in place as police investigate his unexplained death. His body remains at the Berkshire house… Continue reading Boris Berezovsky death: Russian tycoon’s house searched for chemical and biological contamination
Who was Boris Berezovsky?
Exiled Russian tycoon Boris Berezovsky has been found dead at his home outside London on March 23. Boris Berezovsky, who died at the age of 67, was a Russian dissident and a former Kremlin power broker whose fortunes went into dramatic decline as Vladimir Putin established himself as the country’s president. He played a role… Continue reading Who was Boris Berezovsky?
Cyprus makes significant progress in bailout talks with EU and IMF
Cyprus’ Finance Minister Michael Sarris has announced the country has made “significant progress” in talks with the EU and IMF aimed at securing a bailout. Michael Sarris was also quoted as saying Cyprus was considering a 25% levy on deposits of more than 100,000 euros in its biggest bank. Cyprus has to raise 5.8 billion… Continue reading Cyprus makes significant progress in bailout talks with EU and IMF
Amanda Knox and Raffaele Sollecito may face retrial for Meredith Kercher murder
Amanda Knox and her former boyfriend Raffaele Sollecito are waiting to find out if their acquittal for the murder of Meredith Kercher will be overturned by Italy’s highest court. Italy’s Supreme Court judges will rule on Monday on whether there should be a retrial regarding the death of Meredith Kercher or if the case against… Continue reading Amanda Knox and Raffaele Sollecito may face retrial for Meredith Kercher murder
Boris Berezovsky found dead at his home in Surrey
Boris Berezovsky, an exiled Russian tycoon, has been found dead at his home in Surrey, UK. The circumstances of the death of Boris Berezovsky – a wanted man in Russia, and an opponent of President Vladimir Putin – at the age of 67, are not yet known. Thames Valley Police said the death, at a… Continue reading Boris Berezovsky found dead at his home in Surrey
Pope Francis meets Pope Emeritus Benedict for lunch at Castel Gandolfo
Pope Francis has met his predecessor, Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI, for a private lunch at Castel Gandolfo; the first time such a meeting has been possible for more than 600 years. Pope Francis was flown by helicopter to Castel Gandolfo for the private lunch with Pope Emeritus Benedict. Benedict has lived at the lakeside castle south… Continue reading Pope Francis meets Pope Emeritus Benedict for lunch at Castel Gandolfo
Cyprus parliament continues bailout talks after passing banking reforms
Cyprus parliament has voted to restructure the island’s banks, set up a “national solidarity fund”, and establish capital controls to prevent a bank run. Efforts continue to reach consensus on other key issues such as levies on bank deposits. Cypriot President Nicos Anastasiades is to hold talks in Brussels with the EU before Cyprus’s parliament… Continue reading Cyprus parliament continues bailout talks after passing banking reforms
Cyprus parliament approves national solidarity fund
Cyprus parliament has approved a “national solidarity fund” to ease the banking crisis, which has hit confidence across the eurozone. MPs also imposed capital controls to prevent a run on the island’s troubled banks. These are the first of a series of laws intended to raise the 5.8 billion euros ($7.5 billion) Cyprus needs to… Continue reading Cyprus parliament approves national solidarity fund
Andrea Casiraghi becomes father after Tatiana Santo Domingo gives birth to a baby boy
Princess Caroline of Monaco has become a grandmother after Andrea Casiraghi’s fiancée, Colombian heiress Tatiana Santo Domingo gave birth to a baby boy on Thursday. The family are yet to announce the newborn’s name. Andrea Casiraghi, 28, is the oldest son of Princess Caroline and the nephew of Monaco’s ruling sovereign, Prince Albert II. Prince… Continue reading Andrea Casiraghi becomes father after Tatiana Santo Domingo gives birth to a baby boy
Angela Merkel warns Cyprus not to exhaust eurozone patience
Germany and EU leading bankers have urged the Cypriot parliament to quickly find a way of raising the 5.8 billion euros needed to qualify for an international bailout. German Chancellor Angela Merkel warned Cyprus not to “exhaust the patience of its eurozone partners”, reports say. The head of one of Cyprus’ biggest banks urged MPs… Continue reading Angela Merkel warns Cyprus not to exhaust eurozone patience
Pier Luigi Bersani asked to form new Italian government
Italy’s President Giorgio Napolitano has asked centre-left leader Pier Luigi Bersani has been to try to form a new government, following inconclusive elections. Pier Luigi Bersani’s Democratic Party (PD) won control of the lower house of parliament in February’s poll, but fell short of a majority in the Senate. He has ruled out a coalition… Continue reading Pier Luigi Bersani asked to form new Italian government
Nicolas Sarkozy placed under formal investigation in Bettencourt case
France’s ex-President Nicolas Sarkozy has been placed under formal investigation over claims his 2007 election campaign received illegal donations from L’Oreal heiress Liliane Bettencourt, France’s richest woman. Nicolas Sarkozy is accused of accepting thousands of euros from Liliane Bettencourt, now aged 90. The former president denies taking financial advantage of Liliane Bettencourt. Nicolas Sarkozy’s lawyer… Continue reading Nicolas Sarkozy placed under formal investigation in Bettencourt case
Italian marines Massimiliano Latorre and Salvatore Girone sent back to India for trial
Italian marines Massimiliano Latorre and Salvatore Girone accused of murdering two Indian fishermen, in a case that has sparked a diplomatic row between India and Italy, are to be sent back to Delhi for trial. The Indian government had allowed them to return to Italy to vote in last month’s election. But when they failed… Continue reading Italian marines Massimiliano Latorre and Salvatore Girone sent back to India for trial
PKK’s Abdullah Ocalan calls for Turkey truce after 30 years of war
Kurdish rebels’ leader Abdullah Ocalan, who is now jailed in Turkey, has called for a truce after 30 years of war. Abdullah Ocalan also urged his fighters to withdraw from Turkey, in a message read out to cheers during Kurdish New Year celebrations in the city of Diyarbakir. The Turkish government cautiously welcomed the call,… Continue reading PKK’s Abdullah Ocalan calls for Turkey truce after 30 years of war
Pope Francis to wash Rome prisoners’ feet while celebrating Holy Thursday Mass
Pope Francis will wash the feet of prisoners in a youth detention centre in Rome while he will celebrate Mass on Holy Thursday, the Vatican has said. The Vatican says the pontiff is continuing a pre-Easter practice that began when he was archbishop of Buenos Aires. Normally feet-washing Masses before Easter are held in the… Continue reading Pope Francis to wash Rome prisoners’ feet while celebrating Holy Thursday Mass
Cyprus drops controversial bank levy in a new bailout plan
The Cypriot political leaders have dropped the unpopular levy on bank deposits in a new bailout plan. There was outrage over an earlier plan to tax all bank deposits. Cyprus’ banks, which have been shut all week to prevent mass withdrawals, are to stay closed until next Tuesday, March 26. Cyprus is required to find 7… Continue reading Cyprus drops controversial bank levy in a new bailout plan
Two helicopters crash near Berlin’s Olympic Stadium
Two helicopters have crashed near Berlin’s Olympic Stadium, leaving at least two people dead and several others injured. The helicopters hit each other in mid-air during a police exercise. German Bild newspaper said one of the pilots was killed and four people were injured, two of them seriously. Footage showed the two aircraft on their… Continue reading Two helicopters crash near Berlin’s Olympic Stadium
Cyprus banks to remain closed until March 26
Cyprus officials have announced the country’s banks, which were closed to prevent mass withdrawals, will remain shut until at least Tuesday, March 26th. The Cypriot government began an emergency meeting this afternoon to discuss alternatives to the EU-IMF bailout deal rejected by parliament on Tuesday. Reports say the cabinet is considering imposing capital controls when… Continue reading Cyprus banks to remain closed until March 26
Christine Lagarde’s Paris apartment searched in Bernard Tapie probe
French police have searched the Paris apartment of IMF chief Christine Lagarde, as they investigate her role in awarding financial compensation to businessman Bernard Tapie in 2008. As finance minister, Christine Lagarde referred Bernard Tapie’s long-running dispute with bank Credit Lyonnais to an arbitration panel, which awarded him 400 million euros damages. Bernard Tapie was… Continue reading Christine Lagarde’s Paris apartment searched in Bernard Tapie probe
Cyprus’ parliament rejects controversial levy on bank deposits
Cyprus’ parliament has rejected the controversial levy on bank deposits, proposed as part of an EU-IMF 10 billion-euro ($13 billion) bailout package. No MPs voted for the bill, with 36 voting against and 19 abstaining. Cyprus’ finance ministry had modified the package, proposing an exemption for savers with smaller deposits, but opposition had remained fierce. Thousands… Continue reading Cyprus’ parliament rejects controversial levy on bank deposits
Pope Francis inauguration Mass held in St Peter’s Square
Pope Francis I inauguration Mass is being held in St Peter’s Square in Rome, marking the official start of his papacy. Pope Francis first toured the square in an open-topped vehicle, descending to bless pilgrims behind the barriers. Up to a million people, along with global political and religious leaders, are attending the Mass. Pope… Continue reading Pope Francis inauguration Mass held in St Peter’s Square
Sarai Sierra murder: Turkish homeless Ziya T confesses to fatally bludgeoning New York mother in Istanbul
Turkish homeless man identified as “Ziya T” has confessed to fatally bludgeoning Staten Island mother Sarai Sierra in Istanbul. The man has said his victim fought for her life for approximately 30 minutes before she went limp and he fled the scene. Ziya T, a trash collector who lives in Istanbul was detained by police… Continue reading Sarai Sierra murder: Turkish homeless Ziya T confesses to fatally bludgeoning New York mother in Istanbul