Latest news with #Kosovo
Top Gear
2 hours ago
- Automotive
- Top Gear
Dua Lipa designed a Porsche 911 GT3 RS, and it's quite brilliant
Dua Lipa designed a Porsche 911 GT3 RS, and it's quite brilliant What do you make of the singer's 'Rennstall' GT3 RS? Skip 18 photos in the image carousel and continue reading Turn on Javascript to see all the available pictures. 1 / 18 Three-time Grammy Award winner Dua Lipa is currently in the midst of a monster year-long world tour to promote her third studio album Radical Optimism. And yet, the pop star somehow still found the time to spec a very special Porsche 911 GT3 RS. One of us! One of us! Yep, Lipa clearly also likes to procrastinate by spending inordinate amounts of time on supercar configurators. Two differences from our efforts though; it turns out she's actually quite good at speccing a sports car, and she also went and actually had the thing built. Advertisement - Page continues below This is the Dua Lipa Rennstall Porsche 911 GT3 RS. And yes, Rennstall translates to 'racing team', but this isn't Lipa announcing a Le Mans 24hrs entry for next year. That 1970s-esque turquoise, orange and red livery would look rather excellent at La Sarthe, though. In fact, this particular GT3 RS is now up for auction via RM Sotheby's, with all the proceeds from the sale set to be donated to Dua Lipa's own charity, the Sunny Hill Foundation, to support Kosovan communities while promoting the arts and culture. RM Sotheby's said the brilliantly retro livery is the 'perfect reflection of the vibrancy that typifies Dua Lipa's stage design and performances'. The car itself was unveiled back at the Monaco Grand Prix in May, but you may have spotted Lipa at the Goodwood Festival of Speed this weekend, as she jumped in the passenger seat alongside Iron Dames driver Karen Gaillard for a run up the famous hillclimb. Lipa – who has been a Porsche ambassador since 2023 – also ticked the boxes for the Weissach Pack, the lightweight magnesium wheels, carbon ceramic brakes and a Guards Red finish on the rev counter and stopwatch. Advertisement - Page continues below With just over 3,000 miles on the clock, how much do we reckon it'll sell for? Top Gear Newsletter Thank you for subscribing to our newsletter. Look out for your regular round-up of news, reviews and offers in your inbox. Get all the latest news, reviews and exclusives, direct to your inbox. Success Your Email*
Yahoo
a day ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Air Marshall Harv Smyth named as new head of the Royal Air Force
An air marshal who flew in hundreds of operational missions across a number of warzones is to be appointed as the new head of the RAF, the Defence Secretary has confirmed. Air Marshal Harv Smyth, who joined the force in 1991 and served 15 years as a frontline Harrier pilot and weapons instructor in conflicts in Bosnia, Kosovo, Serbia, Iraq and Afghanistan, will become Chief of the Air Staff. He succeeds Sir Rich Knighton, who has held the position since June 2023 and has been promoted to head of the armed forces, a role he will take up in September. Air Marshal Smyth's appointment follows a series of promotions to command positions since becoming an Air Commodore in 2015, including his current role of Deputy Chief of the Defence Staff for Military Strategy and Operations. The Defence Secretary John Healey has today confirmed that His Majesty The King has approved the new appointment of Air Marshal Harv Smyth as the next Chief of the Air Staff. Read more about Air Marshal Smyth's appointment here: — Royal Air Force (@RoyalAirForce) July 16, 2025 He said: 'I am deeply honoured to have been selected as the next Chief of the Air Staff at such an important time for the Royal Air Force. 'The Strategic Defence Review makes clear the need for us to rapidly evolve and modernise to meet current and future threats and I am enormously proud to lead the service at such a crucial point in our history. 'I take over from Sir Rich Knighton, who has achieved so much over the past two years, preparing the Royal Air Force for the challenges that we currently face and developing the operational mindset that we need, should we transition to conflict. 'I share in his unwavering support for our people and am delighted to have this opportunity to lead our whole force as we deliver outstanding air and space power for the UK and Nato.' The Chief of the Air Staff is the professional head of the RAF, responsible for the strategic planning and delivery of all the force's operations, people and capability. They are accountable to the Secretary of State for Defence for the fighting effectiveness, efficiency and morale, as well as the development and sustainment of the force. Defence Secretary John Healey said: 'I warmly congratulate Air Marshal Harv Smyth on his appointment as Chief of the Air Staff. He has outstanding credentials to lead the RAF in a crucial period of transformation for the force. 'Air Marshal Smyth has led a distinguished career to date. From spending 15 years as a frontline Harrier pilot and weapons instructor, to flying hundreds of operational missions from both land bases and aircraft carriers, to holding numerous vital command positions, he has served our nation loyally. 'I would also like to recognise Air Chief Marshal Sir Rich Knighton's superb leadership of the RAF over the last two years. I know he and Air Marshal Smyth will work together to deliver a landmark shift in our deterrence and defence.'
The Sun
a day ago
- The Sun
Vile people smuggler who trafficked 9 adults & 2 kids argues getting deported would be ‘too disruptive for his children'
A PEOPLE smuggler who trafficked nine adults and two children has argued that being deported would be too disruptive for his kids. Miklovan Bazegurore's lawyers tried to argue that being extradited to Belgium would breach his right to family life. They claimed that his daughter, 10, who has special educational needs, would suffer if he was jailed in a different country. The Kosovan national was locked up in 2018 after pleading guilty at Aylesbury Crown Court to conspiracy to facilitate illegal immigration. He had links to a lorry that was caught by the National Crime Agency in Milton Keynes in 2016 having nine Albanian adults and two children hidden next to a concrete mixer inside. Since his release in 2023, he has been fighting extradition to Belgium, where he was handed a separate conviction for people smuggling and sentenced to five years. His lawyer tried to argue that extraditing him would 'be extremely disruptive for the children', according to The Times. But The Court of Appeal his offences as part of an 'international smuggling ring" were so bad that extradition outweighed the impact on his kid. Bazegurore is expected to be deported in the next few weeks. It comes after a sick Palestinian gran won permission to come to Britain for medical treatment — despite fears it could undermine immigration controls. The 67-year-old has a daughter, 50, living in Britain. She argued successfully at an immigration tribunal last month they had a right to family life under a European Human Rights rule. But in court documents seen by The Sun on Sunday, the Home Office warned it could also lead to a 'proliferation' of similar applications. The woman, who suffers from spinal stenosis, is financially supported by her daughter. She lives in war-torn Gaza City and was deemed vulnerable by the tribunal as she suffers from PTSD and depression. The treatment is expected to cost about £20,000 at a private hospital in Windsor, Berks, and the woman will return to Gaza after it is completed. Upper Tribunal Judge Rebecca Owens allowed her appeal for a visitor visa. 'Right to family life' deportation loophole to FINALLY be closed in long-awaited crackdown By Harry Cole and Jack Elsom A LONG-awaited crackdown on dodgy 'family life' loopholes in deportation cases will take a huge step forward. Judges will be ordered to ignore bogus claims featuring laughable excuses which left-wing lawyers have been able to repeatedly exploit. An Albanian criminal was recently allowed to stay under Article 8 of the European Convention of Human Rights partly because his son does not like chicken nuggets abroad. A senior Government source promised: 'The bonkers predicament that Britain finds herself in where a migrant can dodge deportation thanks to our own lawyers weaponising Article 8 because they don't like chicken nuggets is over. 'The European Convention on Human Rights has taken the mickey for far too long and we will change the law to give primacy to our sovereign Parliament.' Under Article 8 of the ECHR, people are able to claim their right to a family or private life, which is often weaponised by left-wing lawyers fighting for asylum seekers and foreign criminals to stay in the country. The Government will instead propose a law change to give British courts primacy over ECHR rulings — but the move will require Commons legislation.
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Dua Lipa's Custom Porsche 911 GT3 RS Heads to Auction for Charity
Read the full story on Modern Car Collector A one-of-a-kind Porsche 911 GT3 RS designed by pop superstar Dua Lipa is heading to the auction block at the prestigious Goodwood Festival of Speed, with all proceeds benefiting the Sunny Hill Foundation, her nonprofit supporting arts and culture in Kosovo. Unveiled earlier this spring during the Monaco Grand Prix weekend, the custom Porsche—dubbed the 'Dua Lipa Rennstall GT3 RS'—features a vibrant livery that blends green, black, gold, and red swirls. The British-Albanian singer was directly involved in the creative process, giving Porsche's most track-oriented 911 a bold, personal touch. 10 Must-Have Tools and Gear for the Modern Car Collector (Amazon Edition) Built around the high-performance 992-generation 911 GT3 RS, the car boasts a 4.0-liter naturally aspirated flat-six engine capable of revving to 9,000 rpm. With 525 PS (518 horsepower) delivered to the rear wheels via a 7-speed PDK dual-clutch transmission, the Rennstall GT3 RS retains all the ferocity of its production sibling—paired with one-of-a-kind star power. Auction house RM Sotheby's is overseeing the sale, with the vehicle drawing attention from car collectors and pop culture enthusiasts alike. It marks one of the few instances where a celebrity-designed modern Porsche is offered for public sale with philanthropic intent. 'I wanted to create something that fuses the emotion of music, design, and driving,' Dua Lipa said in a recent statement. 'The Sunny Hill Foundation has always been close to my heart, and this project is a celebration of the culture and creativity it supports.' The auction will take place during the Goodwood Festival of Speed, one of the UK's premier automotive events. While no reserve has been publicly announced, industry experts predict the GT3 RS could fetch well over £500,000 due to its exclusivity and celebrity connection. Follow us on Facebook and Twitter
Al Arabiya
3 days ago
- Politics
- Al Arabiya
Kosovo fighter's sentence cut to 13 years despite court upholding convictions for murder and torture
Appeals judges at a European Union-backed court upheld murder, torture, and arbitrary detention convictions against a former Kosovo war liberation fighter Monday, but they cut his prison term from 18 years to 13 years, saying judges imposed too harsh a sentence at his trial. Pjetër Shala was convicted a year ago for his role in the abuse of detainees being held by the Kosovo Liberation Army, or KLA, at a makeshift jail in a metal factory in Kukës, northern Albania, during Kosovo's 1999 war for independence from Serbia. The 62-year-old Shala watched Monday's hearing at the Kosovo Specialist Chambers by videoconference and shook his head after Judge Kai Ambos of Germany rejected large parts of his appeal and handed down the new sentence. The appeals panel, however, ruled that trial judges wrongly found him guilty of five cases of torture and two of arbitrary detention, saying there was insufficient evidence, but they upheld his convictions on the same counts for other detainees and for his role in the murder of one detainee who was shot and then denied medical treatment. In reducing his sentence, the three-judge appeals panel ruled that trial judges didn't give sufficient weight to the fact that Shala didn't hold a command role when the man was murdered. The appeals judges also said that the original 18-year sentence was out of reasonable proportion to comparable cases, the court said in a statement. Kosovo's 1998-1999 fight to break away from Serbia was led by the KLA, whose main leaders, including former President Hashim Thaci, are now being tried in The Hague. More than 13,000 people, mostly ethnic Albanians, died during the war before a NATO bombing campaign forced Serbia to pull its troops out of the country and to cede control to the United Nations and NATO. Kosovo declared its independence from Serbia in 2008, which was recognized by the United States and most of the West, but not by Serbia or its allies Russia and China.
