Art News Trending

Stolen Van Gogh handed to Dutch art sleuth in Ikea bag

By 336 0

A Dutch art detective, Arthur Brand, successfully recovered a stolen Van Gogh painting from a Dutch museum in March 2020, ending a quest spanning three and a half years.

Brand mentioned that the 139-year-old artwork was delivered to him in an unconventional manner: a man showed up at his doorstep with the painting concealed within a pillow and an Ikea bag. He emphasized that this operation was carried out in close coordination with Dutch law enforcement, and they were confident that the person returning the painting was not connected to the theft.

The original theft occurred when an individual used a sledgehammer to break into the Singer museum in Laren, located southeast of Amsterdam, at the onset of the COVID-19 lockdown. The stolen artwork, titled “The Parsonage Garden at Nuenen in Spring,” had been on loan from a museum in Groningen and is valued at several million euros.

In 2021, a career criminal named Nils M, who lived near Laren, was sentenced to eight years in prison for the theft, but by that time, the painting had already changed hands. DNA evidence linked Nils M to both the theft of the Van Gogh painting and another theft of a Frans Hals painting in Leerdam, near Utrecht.

Intercepted communications revealed that a criminal group had acquired the stolen Van Gogh painting with the intention of using it as leverage to secure reduced prison sentences. Arthur Brand, collaborating closely with Dutch law enforcement, had received images confirming the painting’s existence as early as June 2020.

Eventually, a man in Amsterdam approached Brand and offered to return the painting under the condition of strict confidentiality, as it had become a cumbersome burden for those in possession of it. The exchange occurred at Brand’s residence, with the director of the Groninger museum verifying the artwork’s authenticity at a nearby bar’s street corner.

The painting, upon recovery, was wrapped in a pillow with bloodstains, as the person returning it had injured their finger during retrieval.

The Dutch police’s arts crime unit authenticated the recovered painting, and Andreas Blühm, the head of the Groninger museum, expressed his delight at its safe return. While slightly damaged, the artwork can be restored. Currently, the Van Gogh painting is in the custody of the Van Gogh museum, and it may take several weeks or months before it is ready for public display.

Picture Courtesy: Google/images are subject to copyright

News Trending

Greek Minister Steps Down Following Death of Passenger on Delayed Ferry

By 321 0

Greece’s shipping minister, Miltiadis Varvitsiotis, has resigned due to controversial remarks he made on television in the wake of a passenger’s death, allegedly pushed off a ferry by crew members.

Varvitsiotis expressed that his statements, which appeared to support the ferry’s crew in the incident, were “misinterpreted.”

Criminal charges have been filed against the ship’s captain and three crew members regarding the incident at the port of Piraeus in Athens, which has sparked outrage in Greece.

A video on social media depicted the 36-year-old passenger, Antonis Kargiotis, attempting to board the Blue Horizon ferry as it was departing from Athens to Crete. Crew members on the loading ramp seemed to physically prevent him from boarding, and he was subsequently pushed into the sea. The ferry continued its voyage as scheduled but returned to port as instructed by authorities, where Kargiotis’ body was recovered.

Varvitsiotis faced severe criticism for his remarks, with Greek newspaper Ekathimerini describing them as “entirely misguided and deeply regrettable.”

In a statement on social media, Varvitsiotis expressed shock over Kargiotis’ death and claimed that his comments had been “misinterpreted,” emphasizing that he did not equate the victim with the perpetrators and expressing his discomfort with the backlash he received.

Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis expressed disgust and horror over the incident, attributing it to a combination of irresponsibility, cynicism, contempt, and indifference. He pledged that the state would fulfill its duty.

The ferry’s captain and three crew members faced a prosecutor on September 6, the day following the passenger’s death. The captain is charged with felony dangerous interference with maritime traffic, while the crew member accused of pushing the passenger faces charges of manslaughter with potential malice. Two other crew members are being prosecuted for complicity in manslaughter.

Attica Group, the owner of the Blue Horizon ferry line, issued a statement expressing devastation over the tragic incident and pledging cooperation with the authorities.

Picture Courtesy: Google/images are subject to copyright

News Trending

Polish Family Who Sheltered Jews Nominated for Beatification

By 321 0

In Poland, a beatification Mass ceremony was held to honor a Catholic family killed by Nazis for hiding Jews during World War II. Over 30,000 pilgrims and Poland’s president attended the outdoor service, led by an envoy of Pope Francis. This marked the first time an entire family has been beatified, a significant step toward sainthood.

The Ulma family, consisting of Jozef and Wiktoria Ulma and their six children, hid eight Jews in their farmhouse in Markowa, southeastern Poland, driven by their Christian values during late 1942. Among those sheltered were Saul Goldman and his sons, Baruch, Mechel, Joachim, and Mojzesz, as well as Golda Grunfeld, Lea Didner, and her daughter Reszla, as documented by Poland’s Institute of National Remembrance.

Contrary to Nazi-occupied western Europe, aiding Jews in occupied Poland carried a penalty of immediate execution. In 1944, it is believed that a Polish police officer betrayed the Ulma family, leading to their capture. German gendarmes killed the Jews hidden in the attic and then executed the Ulma family, including Wiktoria, who was seven months pregnant, in front of their young children, the eldest of whom was eight, and the youngest, just 18 months old. Subsequently, members of the Polish underground resistance executed the police officer responsible for the family’s betrayal.

The outdoor Mass on Sunday was presided over by Pope Francis’ envoy, Cardinal Marcello Semeraro. During the ceremony in Markowa, the Pope referred to the Ulma family as a “ray of light” amid the darkness of war and called for applause in St. Peter’s Square. President Andrzej Duda expressed gratitude to Pope Francis for the extraordinary beatification of the entire family, highlighting the importance of acknowledging the historical truth about that era.

In 1995, Israel’s Yad Vashem recognized Jozef and Wiktoria as “Righteous Among the Nations,” and the beatification process began in 2003. Beatification is a significant step in the Catholic Church toward canonization or sainthood, signifying that those beatified are deemed “blessed” and deserving of public veneration.

Poland was home to Europe’s largest Jewish community in 1939, and more Poles (over 7,000) have been honored by Israel for aiding Jews during the war than any other nationality. However, it’s important to note that some Poles also participated in the persecution and murder of Jews under the brutal Nazi occupation. Approximately six million Polish citizens lost their lives during the war, with half of them being Jews.

Prominent members of the Polish government, including Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki, attended the Mass. The government has faced accusations of attempting to reshape historical narratives by emphasizing Polish suffering at the hands of the Nazis and the aid provided to Jewish neighbors while suppressing research into cases of Poles who committed crimes against the country’s Jewish population.

picture courtesy: google/images are subject to copyright

News Trending

Elon Musk says he withheld Starlink over Crimea to avoid escalation

By 337 0

Elon Musk has stated that he refused Kyiv’s request for access to his Starlink communications network over Crimea to avoid being complicit in what he viewed as a significant act of war. Kyiv had urgently requested to activate Starlink in Sevastopol, a major Russian naval port. This decision came to light following claims in a biography by Walter Isaacson that Musk had deactivated Starlink to thwart a drone attack on Russian ships, which a senior Ukrainian official argued allowed Russian attacks on civilians.

According to the official, Musk’s refusal to allow Ukrainian drones to use Starlink led to Russian naval vessels launching Kalibr missiles at Ukrainian cities. The official questioned why some people were defending Musk’s actions, which he deemed as promoting evil and assisting war criminals.

The controversy emerged alongside the release of Walter Isaacson’s biography, which suggested that Musk had deactivated Starlink in Ukraine due to concerns that an ambush of Russia’s naval fleet in Crimea could trigger a nuclear response from Russia. Ukrainian forces had reportedly targeted Russian ships in Sevastopol with submarine drones carrying explosives, but they lost connection to Starlink, resulting in the drones washing ashore harmlessly. Starlink terminals connect to SpaceX satellites and have played a crucial role in maintaining internet connectivity in Ukraine amid the conflict.

Musk countered the book’s claims by stating that SpaceX had not deactivated anything, as Starlink had not been activated in those regions to begin with. He explained that there was an emergency request from government authorities to activate Starlink all the way to Sevastopol, with the clear intention of sinking most of the Russian fleet at anchor. Musk believed that complying with this request would make SpaceX explicitly complicit in a major act of war and conflict escalation.

Dmitry Medvedev, Russia’s former prime minister, supported Musk’s stance, suggesting that Musk was the last reasonable mind in North America if Isaacson’s account was accurate.

In the past, Musk had emphasized that Starlink was not intended for use in wars and had been primarily designed to provide internet access for peaceful purposes, such as education and entertainment. He called for a truce, expressing his belief that Ukrainians and Russians were sacrificing their lives for small pieces of land, which he considered not worth the cost of human lives.

Musk had previously generated controversy by proposing a plan to end the conflict, which included recognizing Crimea as part of Russia and allowing residents of seized regions to vote on their preferred country. This proposal received criticism from figures like Russian chess grandmaster Garry Kasparov, who called it morally flawed.

Picture Courtesy: Google/images are subejct to copyright

News Trending

Greek Prime Minister Mitsotakis Highlights Daunting Struggle Against Nature Amidst Floods

By 316 0

In central Greece, rescue efforts are underway to reach hundreds of individuals stranded by severe floods, resulting in 10 casualties.

Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis has emphasized the significant challenge Greeks are facing in their battle against the forces of nature.

Following days of heavy rainfall, rivers have overflowed, leading to the submersion of villages and the destruction of homes and bridges.

Residents in the vicinity of Palamas and Karditsa have issued appeals for essential supplies such as food and water.

The plains of Thessaly, after enduring weeks of scorching temperatures and wildfires, have been inundated by a three-day-long storm.

Within a 24-hour period, an astonishing 800mm (31.5 inches) of rain poured down, surpassing the region’s average annual rainfall.

Larissa, a major city with 150,000 inhabitants, is now under threat as the River Pineios has breached its banks in certain suburbs. This city is not only significant in size but also serves as the agricultural hub for the entire country, with nearly a quarter of this year’s crop production being lost.

Satellite imagery has revealed extensive flooding across approximately 73,000 square meters of land in Thessaly.

Many residents in the region are expressing anger towards the Greek authorities, alleging that climate change is being used as an excuse for subpar construction projects. For instance, a bridge that collapsed three years ago due to a cyclone was subsequently rebuilt and is now completely destroyed again, symbolizing government failures for many Greeks.

The city of Larissa has been transformed beyond recognition, with numerous impassable roads, flooded houses at lower elevations, and extensive infrastructure damage caused by the storm’s fury.

The devastation is further compounded by the remnants of the wildfires that Greece has battled throughout the summer, resulting in burnt trees and scorched land.

Xenia, a long-time resident, tearfully watches her home from a distance, which is now mostly submerged. She contemplates the possibility of never returning to her beloved home and having to rent an affordable apartment with her modest salary.

The death toll has climbed to 10, with at least four individuals reported missing, raising concerns that the number may rise as rescuers gain access to more flooded areas.

During visits to the hardest-hit regions, Prime Minister Mitsotakis described the situation as an unprecedented natural phenomenon. He pledged to expedite compensation for those whose homes had been destroyed or damaged.

Although the rain has mostly ceased, floodwaters in certain areas remain at depths exceeding 2 meters (6.5 feet). The coastal city of Volos has been without clean drinking water for four days, prompting residents to collect water from various sources.

The Greek fire brigade has conducted over 1,800 rescues across Greece since Tuesday and continues to search for missing individuals, including an Austrian couple swept away with their honeymoon cabin.

These floods come on the heels of Greece’s hottest summer on record and extensive wildfires in the northern part of the country. Scientists attribute the increasing frequency and severity of such extreme weather events to climate change.

Picture Courtesy: Google/images are subject to copyright

News Trending

Spanish Prosecutor Lodges Complaint with High Court Against Luis Rubiales

By 592 0

A Spanish prosecutor has taken legal action against Luis Rubiales, the suspended president of the football federation, on charges of sexual assault and coercion. The case stems from an incident in which Rubiales kissed midfielder Jenni Hermoso without her consent following Spain’s Women’s World Cup final victory.

Hermoso has filed a formal complaint against the unwanted kiss, prompting the prosecutor, Marta Durantez Gil, to also include a charge of coercion in the complaint submitted to the high court. The prosecutor’s office mentioned that Hermoso claimed that Rubiales and his professional associates had pressured her family to support the incident. The prosecutor is now seeking to question Rubiales as a suspect and Hermoso as the victim in the case.

Additionally, they have requested information from Australian authorities, where the incident occurred. This legal action follows a preliminary investigation initiated by Spanish prosecutors on August 28, which aimed to determine if the incident constituted sexual assault.

The move came in response to Hermoso’s unequivocal statements. Despite the ongoing legal proceedings, Rubiales has refused to step down as the president of the Spanish football federation (RFEF), maintaining that he will not resign and alleging a character assassination campaign against him.

FIFA has provisionally suspended Rubiales and launched disciplinary proceedings in response to the allegations.

Picture Courtesy: Google/images are subejct to copyright

News Trending

Controversy Erupts Following Abbas’s Controversial Remarks on Jews and the Holocaust

By 269 0

German and Israeli authorities have expressed strong condemnation for statements made by Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas in a recent speech concerning Jews and the Holocaust.

Abbas suggested that Adolf Hitler’s mass murder of Jews was driven by their perceived “social role” as moneylenders, rather than rooted in anti-Semitism.

Israel’s UN ambassador characterized Abbas’s remarks as “clear-cut antisemitism,” while Germany’s Ramallah mission emphasized the historical reality of the Holocaust, asserting that millions of lives were annihilated and that this fact cannot be downplayed.

Steffen Seibert, Germany’s ambassador to Israel, stressed the importance of Palestinians hearing the historical truth from their leader rather than such distortions.

Abbas’s speech, delivered last month to the Fatah Revolutionary Council and later broadcast on Palestine TV, has drawn widespread criticism. In his speech, Abbas asserted that Hitler’s actions were not based on religious animosity but were due to the Jews’ role in “usury, money, and so on.”

Additionally, Abbas revived a long-discredited theory that European Ashkenazi Jews are not descended from ancient Israelites but from 8th Century Khazar converts to Judaism.

The president’s comments are consistent with his past controversial statements, aimed at disputing the connection between the Jewish people and modern-day Israel, a topic central to the Israel-Palestine conflict.

Israeli foreign ministry shared the contents of Abbas’s speech on social media, with Israeli Ambassador to the UN, Gilad Erdan, asserting that it reveals the true nature of Palestinian leadership, blaming Jews for various issues in the Middle East.

The European Union also criticized Abbas’s speech, describing it as “false and grossly misleading.” They stressed that such historical distortions are inflammatory and offensive, fuel antisemitism, and trivialize the Holocaust.

This isn’t the first time Abbas has sparked international outrage with his statements. In the past, he likened Israel to Nazi Germany and accused Israel of carrying out “50 massacres; 50 holocausts,” drawing strong condemnation from various quarters.

Following previous controversies, Abbas issued a statement through the official Palestinian news agency, Wafa, acknowledging the Holocaust as “the most heinous crime in modern human history” but stopped short of a direct apology.

Picture Courtesy: Google/images are subject to copyright

News Sports Trending

Medvedev Triumphs, Alcaraz Clinches US Open 2023 Titles

By 280 0

In hot and humid conditions at the US Open 2023, Daniil Medvedev secured his spot in the semi-finals by defeating Andrey Rublev, expressing concerns about the extreme weather. Despite apparent breathing difficulties, the third seed managed to beat his fellow Russian with a score of 6-4, 6-3, 6-4.

Medvedev, who won the 2021 US Open, is set to face Carlos Alcaraz next after the defending champion defeated Alexander Zverev 6-3, 6-2, 6-4. The semi-finals for both men will take place at Flushing Meadows on Friday.

The match between Medvedev and Rublev occurred under a partially closed roof due to a heatwave, with temperatures reaching around 35C. Both players struggled with the extreme conditions, taking extended breaks between sets and using various methods to cool down.

Medvedev compared the conditions to the challenging weather he experienced during the Tokyo Olympics in 2021 and emphasized that both players were affected. Rublev, who has yet to reach a major semi-final, was a break up early in each set, but Medvedev managed to shift the momentum each time.

Medvedev secured the victory and the semi-final spot despite facing challenges with his breathing, using an inhaler, and taking medical timeouts. He highlighted the resilience of both players, acknowledging Rublev’s determination never to give up.

In another semi-final match, last year’s champion, Carlos Alcaraz, and Novak Djokovic are expected to compete for a place in the final. Djokovic, aiming for his 24th major title, will face young American Ben Shelton in the first match. Both Alcaraz and Djokovic are considered strong contenders for the championship.

Picture Courtesy: Google/images are subject to copyright

News Trending

Greek floods: Austrian honeymooners missing after holiday home swept away

By 584 0

An Austrian couple celebrating their honeymoon in Greece has gone missing as heavy rains caused devastating floods, prompting a search operation by emergency services. The torrential downpour led to entire villages in central Greece being submerged, leaving residents stranded on their rooftops. Storm Daniel, affecting Greece, Turkey, and Bulgaria this week, has claimed the lives of over a dozen people.

The newlyweds, who had recently tied the knot upon arriving for their vacation, sought refuge in a bungalow they had rented in Potistika, near Mount Pelion, as the relentless rain battered central Greece. Unfortunately, the flash floods carried their rented house into the sea. The property’s owner, Samaras Thanakis, recounted advising the couple and other guests to seek higher ground, but the dire situation made decisions challenging.

Rescue efforts, hindered by collapsed bridges and damaged roads in the region, are ongoing, with the Greek fire brigade actively searching for the missing couple. Some areas in Greece received an astounding 800mm of rain, equivalent to a year’s worth of precipitation in just a few days. The Karditsa plain turned into a vast expanse of water, submerging villages near Palamas.

Palamas’ mayor, Giorgos Sakellariou, made a desperate plea for assistance on Greek television, highlighting the dire conditions and immediate danger residents faced. The extreme weather also affected Athens, the island of Skiathos, where numerous tourists remain stranded, as well as coastal regions around Volos and Pelion. In response to the escalating crisis, Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis canceled a major government event scheduled for the weekend.

Storm Daniel’s impact has been felt across the region, with Greece, Turkey, and Bulgaria collectively witnessing a death toll of over a dozen people, including at least four in Greece. Climate scientists have emphasized that global warming contributes to increased summer evaporation, leading to more intense storms.

Picture Courtesy: Google/images are subject to copyright

News Trending

Legal Challenge by Expelled Migrants in Europe Against EU’s Frontex Ends in Defeat

By 291 0

The European Union’s highest court has rejected a case against the European border agency Frontex, which was brought by a Syrian refugee family forcibly sent from Greece to Turkey in 2016. The family’s lawyers argued that Frontex should be held responsible for the deportation of refugees without the opportunity to apply for asylum, which is considered illegal under international law.

However, the European Court of Justice dismissed their challenge, stating that Frontex lacks the authority to assess the merits of return decisions or asylum applications, and therefore cannot be held liable for any harm caused.

The Syrian family, consisting of a husband, wife, and four young children, arrived in Greece in 2016 as part of the European migrant crisis. They registered their intention to seek international protection on the Greek island of Leros but were subsequently transported to the island of Kos. After just eleven days in Greece, the family alleges that they were flown to Turkey by Frontex and Greek authorities without being given the opportunity to apply for asylum or receiving an expulsion decision. The family claimed that they were misled into believing they were being taken to Athens when they boarded the plane. During the flight, the parents were reportedly separated from their children, who were between one and six years old at the time, and they were not allowed to communicate with anyone during the journey.

The family was released in Turkey but lacked access to housing, water, or sanitation. They later fled to northern Iraq. In 2021, they brought their case to the European Court of Justice, supported by human rights lawyers and the Dutch Council for Refugees.

Following the court’s ruling, the family expressed their disappointment, emphasizing that Frontex should be held accountable for their unjust treatment. Their lawyers indicated that they intended to appeal the decision.

Legal experts argued that individuals should not be deported to another country without a proper assessment of their need for asylum, which they claim did not occur in this case.

The Dutch Council for Refugees and the law firm representing the family stated that the ruling raised questions about how Frontex should ensure respect for fundamental rights in its activities, as mandated by its role.

Frontex responded by requiring EU member states to confirm that individuals were given the opportunity to seek international protection and that their applications were processed in accordance with EU laws.

The European Parliament had previously noted that human rights organizations, media, and civil society groups regularly reported cases of pushbacks or collective expulsions at the EU’s borders, often involving excessive force by EU member state authorities. Frontex had faced accusations of failing to protect individuals in these situations.

Picture Courtesy: Google/images are subject to copyright