Author Archives: OP King

Image copyrightGETTY IMAGES Energy firms will be banned from charging catch-up bills for gas and electricity used more than 12 months earlier. Regulator Ofgem’s new rule, to start in May for domestic customers, should stop shock bills of thousands of pounds. Customers who pay via direct debit often receive bills based on estimated meter readings.Continue reading “Ban imposed on catch-up energy bills”

Image captionAntonio Russo, his father Raffaele and cousin Vincenzo disappeared on 31 January Mexican authorities have launched criminal proceedings against four police officers over the disappearance of three Italian men. The missing men – all from Naples – were last seen on 31 January in Tecalitlán, in the western state of Jalisco. The state’s governorContinue reading “Mexico missing Italians: Police accused of handing them to gang”

Image copyrightEPAImage captionCardinal George Pell arrives at a court in Melbourne on Monday Cardinal George Pell has returned to an Australian court for a hearing that will determine whether he stands trial on sexual assault charges. The Catholic cleric, 76, has strongly denied what police have described as historical accusations by “multiple complainants” in theContinue reading “Cardinal Pell returns to court to fight sexual offence charges”

Image copyrightAFPImage captionThe fictional state of Tabarnia has its own flag, anthem and even currency Thousands of opponents of Catalan secession from Spain have attended a demonstration in Barcelona, in support of a fictional state called Tabarnia. They say Tabarnia would itself split from Catalonia in order to stay part of Spain, were Catalonia toContinue reading “Catalonia Spain: Pro-unity marchers parody secessionists”

Image copyrightEPAImage captionPresident Kiska accused senior officials of an “arrogance of power” Slovakia’s President Andrej Kiska has called for a radical government reshuffle or new elections to rebuild public trust after the murder of a journalist and his fiancée. But Prime Minister Robert Fico disagreed, accusing the president of “dancing on the graves” of theContinue reading “Slovakia’s leaders clash over journalist’s killing”

Image copyrightAFPImage captionThe widow of one of the troops killed later became embroiled in a row with US President Donald Trump The Islamic State (IS) group has published a video purporting to show an ambush in Niger in which four US soldiers were killed last October. It is not clear why the release of theContinue reading “IS video ‘shows deaths of US soldiers in Niger ambush’”

Image copyrightREUTERSImage captionThe deadly 14 February shooting has renewed calls for gun control in the US A convicted school shooter has praised the survivors of last month’s attack in Parkland, Florida, for their efforts in support of gun controls in the US. Jon Romano, then 16, entered his New York high school in 2004 withContinue reading “Jailed school shooter praises Florida student activists”

Image copyrightEPAImage captionXi Jinping – on track to secure lifelong rule of China? China’s “two sessions” – the annual meetings of the national legislature and the top political advisory body – are opening in Beijing. The meetings are significant markers on the country’s carefully choreographed political stage. This year, the parliament is expected to rubberstampContinue reading “China’s ‘two sessions’: Economics, environment and Xi’s power”

Image copyrightGETTY IMAGESImage captionPollsters do not expect any party to win an outright majority Italy is on course for a hung parliament after voters backed right-leaning and populist parties, exit polls suggest. Initial projections say ex-PM Silvio Berlusconi’s centre-right coalition is set to win the most seats in the lower house of parliament. It isContinue reading “Italy election: Early exit polls point to hung parliament”

Image copyrightEPAImage captionKabul was just one of several places to be targeted in the latest violence A wave of attacks across Afghanistan has left more than 25 people dead, most of them soldiers, officials say. In the worst incident, Taliban militants stormed an army post in the western province of Farah, killing 22 soldiers. AContinue reading “Afghanistan: Soldiers killed in wave of attacks”