News Trending War

Combat with Serbs in Kosovo results in at least 30 NATO soldiers being hurt.

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The number of soldiers injured in violent fights with ethnic Serbs by the NATO-led peacekeeping force in Kosovo, KFOR, has increased to 30.

In one of the municipalities in northern Kosovo where ethnic Albanian mayors took office last week, the Serbs had attempted to seize control of the offices.

According to the statement released on Tuesday, 19 Hungarian and 11 Italian soldiers “sustained multiple injuries, including fractures and burns from improvised explosive incendiary devices.”

Three Hungarian soldiers were “wounded by the use of firearms,” the statement continued, although their wounds were not life-threatening.

Some of the clashes happened in Zvecan, a municipality 45 kilometres (28 miles) north of Pristina, the capital.

According to KFOR commander Major-General Angelo Michele Ristuccia, “Both parties need to fully accept responsibility for what happened and prevent any further escalation, rather than hide behind false narratives.”

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International Relations News Trending

Polish inquiry into “Russian influence” infuriates the EU

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After Polish lawmakers established a new commission that might prevent persons with ties to Russia from holding public office, the EU threatened to take action against Poland.

The committee, which was approved by Poland’s parliament last week, will look into alleged Russian meddling between 2007 and 2022. However, detractors assert that the panel, which will be predominated by members of the administration, is meant to criticise opposition leader and former prime minister Donald Tusk.

Didier Reynders, the EU’s justice commissioner, stated that the panel was of “special concern.”

Anyone found guilty of acting under “Russian influence” will be subject to a 10-year ban from managing public finances, effectively preventing them from holding public office.It will look at gas agreements made with Russia in particular since the government claims they made the nation unduly dependent on Moscow.

According to sources, the 10-member panel might present its initial report as early as September and is predicted to be controlled by lawmakers from the ruling Law and Justice Party (PiS).

The EU Commission “will analyse the legislation and will not hesitate to take measures if it is needed,” Mr. Reynders told reporters in Brussels.

Without actual access to justice, including the ability to challenge an administrative decision before an impartial court, he continued, “it is impossible to agree on such a system.”

MPs from the opposition Civic Platform Party are concerned that the probe, which will focus on their party’s final period in office from 2007 to 2015, will try to undermine support for Mr. Tusk, who was prime minister at the time.

Despite not being a member of parliament, Mr. Tusk is now the party’s chairman and leader. He is anticipated to run against Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki in elections later this year.

Krzysztof Brejza, the parliamentary leader of Civic Platform, referred to the new committee as a “Soviet-style idea” and charged that the administration had “organised a witch hunt against Donald Tusk and eliminated him” prior to the election.

Mark Brzezinski, the US ambassador to Poland, expressed his concern that the commission would “reduce voters’ ability to vote for those they want to vote for” on Monday. However, Mr. Morawiecki has defended the bill and charged Mr. Tusk with harbouring a secret.

Nothing should be feared, Mr. Morawiecki remarked, adding: “Why is this valued opposition of ours, especially Mr. Tusk, so terrified of a commission to verify Russian influence?

An ongoing dispute between Warsaw and the EU over judicial reforms resulted in the suspension of billions of euros in aid to Poland in January. Additionally, PiS has been charged with curtailing other civil liberties, including as press freedom, and opposition lawmakers claim Poland risks becoming an authoritarian state if the government is re-elected.

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Accidents News Trending

Boat capsizing on Lake Maggiore kills agents in Italy

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The boating accident on Lake Maggiore in northern Italy on Sunday left four people dead, including two Italian intelligence officers and a retired Israeli security services member, according to local authorities.

Claudio Alonzi, 62, and Tiziana Barnobi, 53, were identified as Italians. Shimoni Erez, a 50-year-old Israeli, was named. The boat’s captain’s wife, Anya Bozhkova, a 50-year-old Russian, also passed away.

Strong winds caused the boat, which was carrying more than 20 visitors, to sink.

When a storm formed over the lake and eventually intensified into a “small hurricane,” the boat was reportedly carrying approximately 25 people who were celebrating a birthday.

Between the cities of Sesto Calende and Arona on Sunday night, the 16-meter (52-foot) long boat capsized and sank. All of the people on board fell into the water, but several of them swam ashore or were saved by other vessels. At the southern end of the lake, rescue divers, a helicopter, and numerous ambulances, as well as an air ambulance, sprung into action to assist with the search.

Firefighters posted a video of chairs and other debris floating in rough waters. Five patients were transported to a hospital.

Italy and Switzerland share Lake Maggiore, which lies on the southern slope of the Alps, and it is a well-liked tourist attraction. The area has recently had bad weather, with thunderstorm warnings being issued by Italy’s meteorological office.

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News Trending

Hvaldimir, a Russian spy whale, was discovered off the coast of Sweden

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A beluga whale believed to have been trained by the Russian navy has resurfaced off the coast of Sweden, according to a group tracking his travels. The whale first appeared in Norway in 2019 and led to speculation that it had been captured by the Russian navy.

Marine biologists from the Norwegian Directorate of Fisheries removed an attached harness with an action camera mount and the words “Equipment St Petersburg” printed on the plastic clasps when he first showed up in Finnmark, Norway’s northernmost Arctic district.

The beluga was given the Norwegian moniker “Hvaldimir”—a play on the words “whale” and “dimir”—in reference to its purported connection to Russia.

The OneWhale organisation states on its website that “Hvaldimir is not a wild whale. He behaves like a lost or abandoned domesticated animal. Instead of avoiding people, he seeks them out.”

Hvaldimir spent more than three years slowly travelling down the top half of the Norwegian coastline before suddenly accelerating in recent months to cover the second half and continue to Sweden, according to the OneWhale initiative on Monday.

Western and Russian submarine movements are observed in the Barents Sea, a strategically important geopolitical region. Additionally, it serves as the entry point to the Northern Route, which speeds up nautical trips between the Atlantic and Pacific oceans.

While consuming wild fish beneath Norway’s salmon farms, Strand reported that the whale’s health “seemed to be very good” in recent years. However, his organisation had already seen considerable weight loss and was worried about Hvaldimir’s ability to obtain food in Sweden.

Oslo’s claims that the whale might be a “Russian spy” received no official response from Moscow.

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News Trending

Stripper arrested by German police over toy gun

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Police in Frankfurt am Main, Germany, wrongly detained a stripper after receiving information about a man carrying what they later discovered to be a toy gun.

The incident happened on Friday night, when police reported seeing a “suspicious man” on a street in the Nordend district of the city.

He was believed to be carrying an assault rifle and was dressed in a US police outfit and helmet.

In actuality, the man had been employed by a nearby pub’s stag party.

Prior to learning the gun was a toy, police had the man in handcuffs and on the ground. He was then released.

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News Trending

Tourist boat sinks on Lake Maggiore killing four – reports

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A tragic incident occurred on Lake Maggiore in northern Italy, where a boat carrying over 20 passengers, including tourists, sank in strong winds. The boat overturned between the towns of Sesto Calende and Arona on Sunday evening. Regrettably, four individuals lost their lives in the incident.

Reports suggest that the passengers on the boat were of British, Italian, and Israeli nationalities, although this has not been confirmed. Five survivors were rescued and taken to the hospital for medical attention. Attilio Fontana, the president of the Lombardy region, attributed the incident to severe weather conditions.

The boat, which had been hired by tourists, was approximately 16 meters (52 feet) long. It had been carrying passengers who were celebrating a birthday when a storm developed, eventually intensifying into a “small hurricane.” The boat capsized and sank shortly thereafter. Many of the passengers managed to swim ashore or were rescued by other boats.

The authorities deployed rescue divers, a helicopter, and emergency medical services to the scene. Lake Maggiore, a popular tourist destination shared by Italy and Switzerland, has experienced adverse weather conditions recently, including thunderstorms as warned by Italy’s meteorological service.

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News Trending

Turkish election victory for Erdogan leaves nation divided

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Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s supporters celebrated late into the night after he secured another five years as Turkey’s president. Erdogan proclaimed that the entire nation of 85 million had won, but his call for unity seemed insincere as he mocked his opponent Kemal Kilicdaroglu and targeted a jailed Kurdish leader and the LGBT community.

Kilicdaroglu did not explicitly concede defeat and complained about the unfairness of the election, alleging that Erdogan’s party had utilized state resources against him. Erdogan secured just over 52% of the vote, but nearly half of the electorate did not support his authoritarian vision.

Although Kilicdaroglu managed to force Erdogan into a runoff, he was unable to close the significant gap in votes and fell more than two million votes behind. Erdogan celebrated his victory with speeches to cheering supporters in Istanbul and from his palace in Ankara, taunting Kilicdaroglu with the words “Bye, bye, Kemal.”

Erdogan also criticized the increase in seats of the main opposition party in the parliamentary vote and condemned the opposition alliance’s pro-LGBT policies, contrasting them with his focus on families. The lead-up to the election was marked by tension, including a fatal stabbing of an opposition party official, which was attributed to celebratory youths.

Although the final results were not confirmed, the Supreme Election Council declared Erdogan the winner. This extended his period in power to a quarter of a century, a result that was both unprecedented and accompanied by the opening of the palace complex to the public.

Supporters from all over Ankara gathered to celebrate the victory, momentarily setting aside Turkey’s economic crisis. Erdogan acknowledged that tackling inflation was the most urgent issue, but there are concerns about his willingness to implement necessary measures. Inflation rates near 44% have severely impacted people’s lives, with the cost of food, rent, and everyday goods skyrocketing.

Despite economic concerns, Erdogan’s supporters expressed pride in his powerful position on the global stage and his tough stance against “terrorists,” referring to Kurdish militants. Erdogan accused his opponent of siding with terrorists and vowed to keep Selahattin Demirtas, a former co-leader of the pro-Kurdish HDP party, in jail despite international calls for his release.

Erdogan also promised to prioritize rebuilding areas affected by earthquakes and facilitate the “voluntary” return of Syrian refugees. People flocked to Istanbul’s Taksim Square to join in the celebrations, including visitors from the Middle East and the Gulf who praised Erdogan for his support of Arabs and the Muslim world.

Despite the festive atmosphere, the idea of unity in the deeply polarized country seemed more distant than ever. Since the failed coup in 2016, Erdogan has consolidated power by abolishing the position of prime minister and expanding his authority. The opposition will now need to regroup for the local elections in 2024, with the possibility that their popular mayors in Ankara and Istanbul could have had a better chance of winning the presidential race.

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News Trending War

Ukraine war: Kyiv hit by new massive Russian drone attack

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Russia has conducted a large-scale drone attack on the capital of Ukraine, Kyiv. According to reports, 54 kamikaze drones were launched by Russia, out of which 52 were shot down by Ukraine’s Air Force. The attack resulted in the death of one person and injury to a woman when drone wreckage fell near a petrol station. Several high-rise buildings in different districts of Kyiv caught fire due to falling drone fragments, and warehouses in the Holosiyivsky district were also set ablaze.

Kyiv residents described their experiences during the attack, with one person mentioning being woken up by a drone flying close to her window and witnessing a series of bright flashes followed by loud explosions. Despite the terrifying situation, many residents expressed gratitude for the air defense and rescue services and emphasized the importance of cherishing every moment of life.

Some officials accused Russia of intentionally targeting Kyiv, particularly as the city was preparing to celebrate Kyiv Day. The attacks by Russia have been escalating, using kamikaze drones, cruise missiles, and ballistic missiles. Ukraine has been preparing for a counter-offensive, and one of its senior security officials stated that the country was ready to launch such an operation.

Both Russia and Ukraine have been engaging in drone attacks, with Russia targeting critical infrastructure and military targets. Ukraine has been retaliating by targeting key locations in the occupied regions of southeastern Ukraine. The frequency of military exchanges between both sides has been increasing as Ukraine prepares for its counter-offensive.

Russia’s ambassador to the UK warned about the escalation of the war, emphasizing that the supply of weapons to Ukraine could further escalate the conflict beyond the current levels. He expressed Russia’s desire to avoid such a scenario.

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News Trending

France destroys 35,000 ‘champagne’ soda bottles

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French border police in Le Havre have destroyed around 35,000 bottles of a soda drink that falsely claimed to be champagne. The bottles, originating from Haiti and containing a bright orange liquid, were seized in October 2021 after customs officials noticed the label “Couronne Fruit Champagne.”

The use of the term “champagne” is reserved exclusively for sparkling wine products from the French Champagne region, according to France’s Appellation d’Origine Contrôlée (AOC) system, which grants exclusive rights to certain geographical indications. The bottles were intended for sale in the French market.

The destruction of these bottles reinforces the importance of the AOC regulation and serves to protect the reputation of the appellation, as stated by Charles Goemaere, the director-general of the Champagne Committee. This action is part of the ongoing effort to combat the misuse of the Champagne name, which has been protected since 1844.

Previously, the same product had faced an investigation and recall due to excessive benzoic acid levels. This incident follows a similar case in which over 2,000 bottles of American beer referred to as the “Champagne of Beer” were destroyed in Belgium at the request of the Champagne Committee.

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News Trending

Turkish election: Erdogan and Kemal Kilicdaroglu clash in desperate race for votes

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In the final hours of Turkey’s presidential race, tensions have risen as Recep Tayyip Erdogan seeks to extend his 20-year rule by another five years. Opposition candidate Kemal Kilicdaroglu has appealed to nationalist voters by promising to expel millions of Syrian refugees, which Erdogan has labeled as hate speech and warned that it would benefit terrorists. Kilicdaroglu is trailing behind by 2.5 million votes from the first round, but he believes he can bridge the gap with the support of ultranationalist voters and those who didn’t vote in the first round.

Kilicdaroglu recently engaged in a four-hour Q&A session on a popular YouTube channel, BaBaLa TV, which has garnered 24 million views. This move was seen as a strategic move to reach out to young voters who didn’t participate in the previous round. The appearance on BaBaLa TV was crucial for Kilicdaroglu to counter Erdogan’s dominance over the Turkish media, as he controls approximately 90% of it.

International observers have criticized Turkey for not meeting the basic principles of holding a democratic election, citing limited media freedom and crackdowns on dissent. Erdogan has consolidated power over the past six years and suppressed political opponents, leading to their imprisonment. In a town called Bala, where Erdogan enjoys strong support, Kilicdaroglu is unlikely to find much backing. The majority of voters there supported Erdogan in the previous round, and there is little sign of first-time voters mobilizing.

While Turkey’s struggling economy was initially the main issue, the focus has shifted to the refugee crisis as the run-off vote approaches. Kilicdaroglu, aiming to attract ultranationalist voters, secured the support of the anti-immigrant Victory Party, whose leader claimed that Kilicdaroglu had agreed to repatriate “13 million migrants” within a year, in line with international law. However, Turkey hosts a much smaller number of refugees, and experts deem the discourse unrealistic and unfeasible.

Public opinion polls suggest that around 85% of Turks want Syrian refugees to return home, making the refugee issue a significant factor in the election. Kilicdaroglu is tapping into security concerns and the perceived threats associated with the immigrant crisis, terrorist attacks, and regional conflicts involving Russia, Syria, and Azerbaijan.

Erdogan has responded by claiming that he is already sending Syrian refugees back and plans to do more. He has also used manipulated videos to link Kilicdaroglu to the Kurdish militant PKK, which is considered a terrorist organization. His target is the pro-Kurdish HDP party, which supports Kilicdaroglu and has been falsely associated with the PKK by Erdogan. The HDP supports Kilicdaroglu to end what they perceive as Erdogan’s authoritarian rule but has reservations about his alliance with a far-right nationalist party.

Initially, there were expectations that Erdogan could be defeated due to his mishandling of the economy and his response to natural disasters. However, almost half of the voters supported him in the first round. The question remains whether Kilicdaroglu’s change in strategy will be effective. Some voters, like Songul, who desired change initially, have decided to stick with Erdogan due to a lack of trust in Kilicdaroglu and the absence of a viable alternative.

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