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Ukraine war: Poland says missile deaths an unfortunate incident

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After a missile strike killed two people on a farm close to Poland’s western border with Ukraine, Andrzej Duda, the president of Poland, declared that there are no indications of an intentional attack.

US Vice President Joe Biden had earlier stated that it was “unlikely” that the missile had been launched from Russia.

The two employees perished as Ukraine came under attack from one of the war’s heaviest volleys of missile strikes.

The Kremlin had maintained that it was unrelated to their demise.

The missile that struck the farm in Przewodow, 6 kilometres (4 miles) from the border, was initially attributed to Russia, according to Poland.

Russian spokesperson Dmitry Peskov claimed Warsaw should have quickly made it obvious the debris was from Ukraine’s S-300, accusing Western nations of having an exaggerated response.

Both Russia and Ukraine employ the outdated Soviet surface-to-air missiles, and Kiev declared its desire to participate in the probe while also indicating that it was prepared to present proof of a “Russian trail” in the attack.

According to Paul Adams of the BBC, Ukraine’s air defences have been working hard to shoot down Russian missiles, and one of the missiles that was fired may have been thrown off course. The NATO ambassadors gathered in Brussels during the investigation to discuss how to respond to a member state becoming involved in Russia’s war.

No evidence, according to Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, suggested that the incident was the product of a planned strike or that Moscow was contemplating aggressive measures against the defensive alliance.

According to Kiev, more than 90 Russian missiles were launched against Ukraine on Tuesday. Some of the missiles struck Lviv, which is close to Ukraine’s western border with Poland, despite the Ukrainian military’s claim that 77 were shot down.

The majority of the rockets fired by Russian forces, according to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, were intended against the nation’s energy infrastructure.

The S-300 missile, which was built in Russia, was most likely to blame, but there was no proof that it had been fired by the Russian side, according to Polish President Duda, who said this at a press conference on Wednesday. Invoking Article 4 of the NATO charter, which mandates consultations in the event of a security danger, may not be required, according to Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki.

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Netherlands to ban laughing gas from January

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The use of nitrous oxide, sometimes known as laughing gas, is now prohibited in the Netherlands due to health concerns regarding the rising number of young people who use it.

The ban, which goes into effect in January, makes it unlawful to purchase, sell, or possess gas. The authorities claim that it is still permissible to utilise it in food production and medicine.

The government also anticipates that the prohibition will result in fewer drug-related auto accidents. Laughing gas has reportedly been a factor in 1,800 accidents in the Netherlands over the last three years, according to road safety watchdog TeamAlert.

According to Maartje Oosterink of TeamAlert, “almost two a day, data that really astonished us,” she told AD newspaper earlier this month.

The well-known legal high has been more popular among clubbers and festival goers in recent years, and it’s frequently combined with other drugs like ketamine or MDMA (ecstasy).

Most of the time, the gas is sold in little metal canisters, which are then poured into balloons before being breathed. The Trimbos Institute estimates that more than 37% of Dutch partygoers, predominantly young people, regularly consume laughing gas.

However, there are significant worries over how the depressant-like medicine affects the brain and how the body reacts. Regular heavy use might also result in a vitamin deficit, which can harm your nerves permanently and leave you paralysed.

As the government’s decision was made public, State Secretary for Health, Welfare, and Sport Maarten van Ooijen stated that the use of nitrous oxide for recreational purposes poses significant health hazards.

Dilan Yeşilgöz, the minister of justice, stated that the prohibition would allow the police to take prompt action if they discovered someone driving around with nitrous oxide gas canisters in their vehicle.

Beyond the Netherlands, worries about the drug’s rising popularity exist.

In England, it is the substance that 16 to 24 year olds abuse most frequently (behind cannabis).

Due to worries over its misuse, the UK Home Office faced calls this month to outlaw all sales of the gas to direct consumers.

Due to the fact that it is acceptable to legally purchase and sell it for the purpose of manufacturing whipped cream, it has become widely and easily accessible for recreational use.

In hospitals and dental offices, large canisters of nitrous oxide are frequently utilised to administer anaesthesia to patients.

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Natasa Pirc Musar: Slovenia elects lawyer as first female president

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As Slovenia’s first female head of state, a lawyer associated with former US first lady Melania Trump was chosen. Journalist and attorney Natasa Pirc Musar received support from Slovenia’s center-left government to run as an independent.

She defeated conservative political veteran and former foreign minister Anze Logar. According to the election commission, Ms. Pirc Musar received nearly 54% of the vote, beating Mr. Logar who received slightly over 46%.

The commission said that 49.9% of the roughly two million voters participated in the election. After winning, Ms. Pirc Musar declared, “Slovenia has elected a president who believes in the European Union, in the democratic values on which the EU was formed.”

She stated that “climate change is putting the planet through difficult times.” She stated, “Young people are now placing the burden on our political shoulders to look after our world so that our children can live in a safe and healthy environment.

Although Ms. Pirc Musar will serve as commander in chief of the armed forces and appoint a number of senior officials, including the governor of the central bank, the president’s function is largely ceremonial. While her husband was president, Ms. Pirc Musar was employed as a lawyer to represent Mrs. Trump, who was born in Slovenia.

In 2016, Ms Pirc Musar and her client filed a lawsuit against Suzy magazine in Slovenia for suggesting Mrs Trump had worked as a high-end escort while pursuing her international modelling career. An out-of-court settlement was reached.

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Iranian who made Paris airport home for 18 years dies

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An Iranian guy who spent 18 years residing in a Paris airport has passed away. Mehran Karimi Nasseri, who was in a precarious diplomatic situation, moved into a small part of the Roissy Charles de Gaulle airport in 1988.

His story served as the basis for the Tom Hanks-starring 2004 movie The Terminal. After receiving permission to reside in France, Mr. Nasseri returned there a few weeks ago, when he passed away of natural causes, an airport official told AFP.

Mr. Nasseri, who was born in the Iranian province of Khuzestan in 1945, first took a flight to Europe in order to find his mother.

After being ejected from nations such as the UK, the Netherlands, and Germany for not possessing the proper immigration documents, he spent a while residing in Belgium. He subsequently travelled to France and settled down in the 2F Terminal of the airport.

He spent his days writing about his life in a notebook and reading books and newspapers while curled up on his bench, surrounded by trolleys filled with the things he had accumulated.

The Terminal, starring Tom Hanks and Catherine Zeta-Jones, was directed by Stephen Spielberg after his story gained the attention of the world’s media.

Journalists went to interview the man who served as the inspiration for a Hollywood blockbuster after the movie’s premiere. According to Le Parisien, Mr. Nazzeri, who went by the name “Sir Alfred,” once conducted up to six interviews every day.

He was given refugee status and the ability to stay in France in 1999, but he remained there until 2006, when he was transferred to the hospital for medical treatment. Using the money he had been paid for the movie, he then lived in a hostel, according to the French newspaper Libération.

A few weeks ago, Mr. Nasseri returned to the airport, where he resided until his passing, according to an airport representative.

The officer stated that he was caught in possession of several thousand euros.

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Kate Winslet covers mum’s £17,000 energy bill

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Kate Winslet has given a mother who has pay an astronomical energy bill to maintain her daughter’s life support £17,000. Clackmannanshire Council informed Carolynne Hunter that her bill would be expensive the following year.

Freya, her 12-year-old daughter, is oxygen dependent due to her severe cerebral palsy and ongoing breathing issues. When the Titanic actress interfered after hearing about their altercation on BBC Scotland, Ms. Hunter claimed she was overcome.

Winslet made a £17,000 donation to the family’s GoFundMe page and wished them well in a message to Ms. Hunter.

Our family’s path has been quite stressful, and Ms. Hunter, 49, said: “At this point in my life, I just feel done.”

“When I heard about the money I just burst into tears – I thought it wasn’t even real. I’m still thinking is this real?” The Hunters live in a large council house in Tillicoultry – which is not energy efficient – so there is space for Freya’s equipment.

Currently, running the equipment and heating the house costs them £6,500 year, though Ms. Hunter claimed she had turned off the heat in most rooms to save money.

She earns a moderate wage working full-time, but she does not have access to the same resources as others with lower salaries.

As a result of Russia’s conflict with Ukraine, Ms. Hunter is particularly concerned that anticipated winter power outages could endanger Freya’s care.

Freya requires oxygen therapy for breathing issues in addition to cerebral palsy, especially at night.

At least two NHS nurses or employees of self-directed support (SDS), a type of social care, are needed to assist the family.

Freya’s oxygen levels are monitored, and staff members frequently suction Freya to keep her airways open.

In recent months Freya’s room was the only one to be heated in order to keep her and her staff comfortable – but Ms Hunter said they have had to cut back.

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KFC apologises after German Kristallnacht promotion

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KFC issued an apology after encouraging German consumers to celebrate Kristallnacht with cheesy chicken in a promotional pitch.

More than 90 individuals were killed in the coordinated attacks carried out by the Nazis in 1938, which also damaged Jewish-run businesses and places of worship.

Many people believe that it marked the start of the Holocaust.  The remark, which received harsh criticism for its lack of tact, was ultimately attributed to “an error in our system.”

The fast-food chain sent an app alert on Wednesday, saying: “It’s memorial day for Kristallnacht! Treat yourself with more tender cheese on your crispy chicken. Now at KFCheese!”

According to the Bild tabloid, a second message with an apology was issued around an hour later.

“We are very sorry, we will check our internal processes immediately so that this does not happen again. Please excuse this error,” the message is reported to have said.

The 9 November Kristallnacht anniversary is taken seriously in Germany, where a number of commemorative activities and talks are planned to remember the more than six million Jews who were murdered by the Nazis.

The Board of Deputies of British Jews’ Director of Public Affairs, Daniel Sugarman, called the original KFC message “absolutely hideous.”Dalia Grinfeld, the associate director of European affairs at the Jewish NGO Anti-Defamation League, tweeted: “How wrong can you get on Kristallnacht KFC Germany. Shame on you!”

The fast food chain said the “automated push notification” was “linked to calendars that include national observances”.

It added that it “sincerely” apologised for the “unplanned, insensitive and unacceptable message” and said app communications had been suspended while an examination of them takes place.

“We understand and respect the gravity and history of this day, and remain committed to equity, inclusion and belonging for all,” the company finished by saying.

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Salto de Castro: Spanish village on sale for €260,000

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Consider purchasing a full village if you want to downsize and move to the country.

The asking price for Salto de Castro, located in northwest Spain, is €260,000 (£227,000; $259,000).

Salto de Castro, which is three hours’ drive from Madrid and situated in the province of Zamora on the Portuguese border, has many of the structures you would anticipate seeing in a small Spanish town.

They include 44 homes, a hotel, a church, a school, a municipal swimming pool and even a barracks building that used to house the civil guard.

However, occupants are something that it lacks. For more than 30 years, Salto de Castro has been vacant.

Beginning in the year 2000, the owner purchased the village with the goal of turning it into a popular tourist destination. The eurozone crisis, however, made it difficult for the strategy to succeed.

According to Ronnie Rodriguez of Royal Invest, the firm that represents the owner, “The owner had the ambition of having a hotel here, but it was all put on hold.” “He still wants the project to succeed.”

The owner, who is in his 80s, writes on the Idealista website where the property is marketed, “I am selling since I am an urban-dweller and cannot sustain the upkeep” of the hamlet.

Since it was listed a week ago at this price, it has received more than 50,000 hits, indicating that there is interest.

According to Mr. Rodriguez, 300 people have showed interest in purchasing, with queries coming from the UK, France, Belgium, and Russia. He said that a deposit has already been made to reserve it by one interested buyer.

Beginning in the early 1950s, the electricity producing company Iberduero constructed Salto de Castro to accommodate the families of the workers who constructed the nearby reservoir.

However, after it was finished, the residents left, and by the late 1980s, the community had been completely abandoned.

Its vicinity is a part of “emptied Spain,” which refers to sparsely inhabited rural areas without many of the amenities available in towns.

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Kherson: Russia to withdraw troops from key Ukrainian city

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The only regional capital that Russia managed to seize after invading in February is the Ukrainian city of Kherson, and the Russian force has been told to leave. Gen. Sergei Surovikin, the commander of Russia in Ukraine, declared that the city could no longer receive supplies. Russian forces will completely leave the western bank of the River Dnipro as a result of the withdrawal.

In light of the Ukrainian counteroffensive, it represents a severe setback to Russia. According to BBC Russia Editor Steve Rosenberg, it is embarrassing for the Kremlin as well. On Russian official television, the military’s senior brass could be seen making the choice as Gen Surovikin provided updates on the situation in Kherson.

Vladimir Putin, the president, stayed away from the fake event. It seemed as though the mastermind of Russia’s futile invasion of Ukraine had delegated the declaration to his generals.

At the end of September, Mr. Putin announced that Russia had annexed Kherson as well as three other seized territories. The defence should be organised along a barrier line along the Dnipro River in these circumstances, Gen. Surovikin told the gathering.

At the beginning of the conflict, Russian forces pushed across southern Ukraine from the occupied Crimea, capturing Kherson in early March. However, Ukrainian authorities were wary of their choice to retreat over the Dnipro River. Mykhailo Podolyak, a presidential adviser, cautioned that it would be premature to take the news at its value.

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Italy allows migrant boat to dock but many remain stranded

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After spending a week at sea, migrants from one of four rescue boats that Italy had barred from docking have been let to disembark, according to the charity that runs the vessel. On the Rise Above, 89 persons in total were permitted to set foot on land.

However, although Rome promises to stop irregular migrants from crossing the Mediterranean, individuals are still on three additional rescue boats. Giorgia Meloni, the prime minister, has stated that she wants to prohibit human traffickers from “deciding who enters Italy.” Her right-wing administration has come under fire for refusing the rescue boats safe harbour.

But Chiara Cardoletti, the UN refugee commissioner’s representative in Italy, said that Italy had been on the front line of the migrant crisis for too long and she called on the European Union to find a common strategy.

“We appreciate what Italy has done by allowing boats to enter territorial waters, allowing children, women and people with medical problems to disembark,” she told the BBC. “Italy cannot be left alone, the European Union must step forward and find appropriate and faster solutions.”

On Monday, three people leapt into the water from the Geo Barents after being refused permission to disembark in the Sicilian port of Catania. They were among about 250 migrants told to remain on two boats in Catania after officials deemed them “healthy”.

The Rise Above is operated by the German nonprofit Mission Lifeline, which released a statement in which it expressed its “relief that the rescued persons are finally safe on land” at Reggio Calabria, on the Italian mainland, a short distance from Sicily. 89 people disembarked, with several of them being characterised as minors.

Authorities claimed to the Italian media that they were let to go because, in contrast to the two boats parked in Sicily, they had been picked up in a’save and rescue’ (SAR) incident in the Mediterranean.

The nonprofit organisation denounced the “undignified political game” that had left them adrift. Italian reports claim that the Rise Above’s crew has not yet been able to disembark.

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Cardinal Ricard among 11 French bishops accused of abuse

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One of the eleven current or former bishops charged with sexual assault is French Cardinal Jean-Pierre Ricard, according to the Church.

The cardinal issued a statement in which he admitted to abusing a 14-year-old girl while serving as a parish priest 35 years prior and announced his decision to step down from his duties.

A panel discovered evidence of thousands of paedophiles working for decades within the French Catholic Church a year ago.

Each of the 11 accused will either be prosecuted or subject to church discipline.

The most recent information was made public during a conference of French bishops held in Lourdes, in southwest France.

Among the 11, according to Archbishop Eric de Moulins-Beaufort, was Michel Santier, a former bishop of Créteil who resigned last year following allegations of sexual abuse dating back two decades.

He read aloud a letter from Cardinal Ricard in which he admitted to acting “reprehensibly” with a 14-year-old girl and that his actions had unavoidably resulted in serious and long-lasting effects for her.

The 78-year-old cardinal claimed he had begged her forgiveness and expressed regret to those he had offended during his 18 years as bishop of Bordeaux. He is now retired. In addition to expressing condolences to the victim, the current bishop, Jean-Paul James, reissued his call for anyone who has experienced abuse in the diocese to come forward.

In addition to the cardinal and Michel Santier, the conference’s leader stated that six other bishops had faced accusations from either the Church or the Judiciary, and one of them had already passed away.

The Roman Catholic Church has been shaken by charges of sexual abuse in numerous nations, including France. Pope Francis modified the Church’s regulations last year to establish crimes under Vatican law for sexual abuse, luring children for sex, owning child pornography, and covering up abuse.

The Pope stated that the Church of France has once again been overwhelmed by the excesses committed by some of its pastors in a communication sent before of the autumn bishops’ conference in Lourdes.

The purpose of the conference was to discuss ways to increase openness and communication in cases of clergy abuse.

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