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Poland Shuts Last Russian Consulate, Blames Moscow for Railway Sabotage

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Poland announced on Wednesday that it will close Russia’s last remaining consulate on its territory, escalating its response to a railway explosion that Warsaw has blamed on Moscow. The blast, which occurred over the weekend on the Warsaw-Lublin line leading to the Ukrainian border, was allegedly carried out by two Ukrainians working with Russian intelligence. Polish authorities say the suspects fled to Belarus, a close ally of Russia.

Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski said the closure of the Russian consulate in Gdansk is the first step, following earlier closures of Russian consulates in Krakow and Poznan in response to similar sabotage concerns. Calling the railway incident “an act of state terrorism,” Sikorski added that Poland would also pursue non-diplomatic measures. Moscow, which denies any involvement, accused Poland of “Russophobia” and indicated it would restrict Poland’s diplomatic presence in Russia.

Warsaw is now urging its EU partners to curb the movement of Russian diplomats within the Schengen zone, warning that further actions may follow. Poland and other EU states have repeatedly accused Russia and Belarus of destabilizing the region, including by fueling migration at the borders. Polish intelligence officials say several additional people have been detained in connection with the blast, amid a wider surge in sabotage, arson and cyberattacks across Europe since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.

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Russian Strikes Kill 16 in Western Ukraine as Missile Barrage Hits Residential Blocks

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Russia launched one of its deadliest attacks on western Ukraine since the full-scale invasion, killing at least 16 people and injuring dozens in the city of Ternopil. Two residential blocks were hit by drones and missiles, with Ukrainian officials reporting that 14 children were among the 64 wounded. Strikes also targeted the regions of Lviv and Ivano-Frankivsk, while separate drone attacks in Kharkiv injured more than 30 people. Widespread power outages were reported across multiple regions.

President Volodymyr Zelensky said Russia fired more than 470 drones and 47 missiles, causing “significant destruction” and leaving many trapped under rubble. Videos from Ternopil showed one apartment block collapsed from the third to the ninth floor, with fires and heavy smoke visible across the area. Infrastructure, including energy and transport facilities, suffered severe damage in several regions as emergency workers continued rescue efforts through the night.

The strikes came a day after Ukraine confirmed firing US-supplied ATACMS missiles at targets inside Russia for the first time. In response, Russia accused Ukraine of launching missiles at Voronezh, all of which it claimed were intercepted. Meanwhile, tensions rose across the region, with Romania reporting a Russian drone entering its airspace and Poland scrambling jets following the attacks. Diplomatic movements also intensified, with Zelensky traveling to Ankara for talks as both sides remain deeply divided on any potential peace solution.

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Klimt Portrait Sells for $236 Million, Becomes Second Most Expensive Artwork at Auction

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A rare portrait by Austrian artist Gustav Klimt has sold for $236.4 million (£179m) at Sotheby’s in New York, becoming the second most expensive artwork ever auctioned. The Portrait of Elisabeth Lederer, painted between 1914 and 1916, triggered a 20-minute bidding war among six buyers. Sotheby’s did not disclose the identity of the winning bidder.

The painting’s history is as dramatic as its price. It was looted by the Nazis, nearly destroyed in a World War Two fire, and later recovered in 1948. Returned to Lederer’s brother, Erich, it remained with the family until it was sold in 1983. The portrait, which shows Lederer in a white robe before a blue tapestry with Asian motifs, later entered the private collection of Estée Lauder heir Leonard A. Lauder in 1985, where it stayed until this week’s sale.

Tuesday’s auction far exceeded expectations, with Sotheby’s originally estimating a price of $150 million. Several other Klimt works from Lauder’s collection also sold for between $60m and $80m. The record for the most expensive artwork ever sold at auction remains Leonardo da Vinci’s Salvator Mundi, which fetched $450.3m in 2017. In a separate headline, a 101-kg functioning gold toilet by Maurizio Cattelan sold for $12.1m during the same event.

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Poland Scrambles Jets After Russian Strikes Near Border With Ukraine

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Poland activated its air defence and scrambled fighter jets early Wednesday after Russia launched a wave of airstrikes on western Ukraine, close to the Polish border. The Polish Armed Forces said quick-reaction fighter jets and an early-warning aircraft were deployed to secure national airspace.

In a statement on X, Poland’s operational command confirmed that ground-based air defence units and radar systems were raised to their highest state of readiness amid heightened tensions along NATO’s eastern flank.

The response followed widespread air raid alerts across Ukraine around 0400 GMT, as the Ukrainian Air Force warned of incoming Russian missile and drone attacks.

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France Nears First Food Trade Deficit in Nearly 50 Years Amid Export Pressures

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France is on the verge of recording its first annual food and agricultural trade deficit in almost five decades, driven by new foreign tariffs on wine exports and soaring global prices for cocoa and coffee. The country, long considered an agri-food export powerhouse thanks to the EU’s largest farming base, has seen its competitiveness steadily erode amid intensifying global and intra-EU competition. The decline has fueled strong opposition among farmers toward trade agreements like the proposed pact with the Mercosur bloc.

Customs data from the French Agriculture Ministry shows a cumulative deficit of 351 million euros for January to September 2025, following last year’s sharp surplus drop to its lowest level since the 1980s. Despite a significantly stronger harvest this year boosting cereal exports, the sector still posted a trade deficit in September. Analysts warn that temporary challenges, including tariffs from the U.S. and China and a spike in import costs for cocoa and coffee, are only part of the picture.

Industry leaders say deeper structural issues—such as high production costs, regulatory burdens, and slower global marketing efforts compared to competitors like Spain and Italy—have further weakened France’s trade position. As France grapples with these pressures, agricultural organisations argue for urgent reforms to revive competitiveness and rebuild the country’s historic strength in global food trade.

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Greece Marks 1973 Student Revolt with Mass Marches and Memorials

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Thousands of people marched through Athens on Monday to commemorate the 1973 Athens Polytechnic uprising, the student-led revolt that played a key role in ending Greece’s military dictatorship. The annual march, which traditionally heads to the U.S. embassy — a symbolic location due to perceptions of American support for the junta — once again became a platform for wider political expression and dissent. At the front of the procession, students carried the iconic blood-stained Greek flag from the original uprising.

Participants paused outside the Greek Parliament to sing the national anthem in tribute to the victims of the 2023 train disaster, a tragedy that continues to fuel public anger over state failures. Demonstrators later reached the U.S. embassy, heavily guarded by police buses, where many carried carnations and banners reading “Resistance,” and some voiced solidarity with Palestinians. Authorities deployed nearly 5,000 officers across the city, detaining more than 30 people ahead of the march and arresting 11.

Earlier in the day, crowds gathered at the Athens Polytechnic to lay wreaths and carnations at the historic site where army tanks crushed the student revolt on November 17, 1973, killing dozens. The uprising is widely seen as the turning point that hastened the fall of the military regime. Many young participants said the message of the revolt — defending democracy and rights — remains deeply relevant today amid debates over new labour laws and government policies.

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Lost Bach Organ Works Performed After 320 Years, Confirmed as Authentic

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Two previously unknown organ compositions by Johann Sebastian Bach have been performed publicly in Germany for the first time in 320 years, marking a major milestone in classical music history. Germany’s Culture Minister Wolfram Weimer described the discovery as a “great moment for the world of music.” Musicologist Peter Wollny first encountered the manuscripts in 1992 while cataloguing Bach materials at the Royal Library of Belgium and spent three decades authenticating them.

The two works, Chaconne in D minor (BWV 1178) and Chaconne in G minor (BWV 1179), were unveiled at Leipzig’s St Thomas Church—Bach’s workplace for 27 years and his final resting place. They were performed by Dutch organist Ton Koopman, who said he was honoured to debut the long-lost compositions, praising their high quality and suitability even for smaller organs.

Researchers believe Bach composed the pieces early in his career while working in Arnstadt, with one of his pupils, Salomon Günther John, likely having written them down in 1705. Wollny, now director of the Bach Archive, said he is “99.99% sure” of their authenticity, noting stylistic features that are unmistakably Bach. The works have since been added to the official catalogue of his compositions.

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Louvre Shuts Campana Gallery After Structural Weaknesses Discovered

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France’s Louvre Museum has closed its Campana Gallery after a structural assessment revealed severe weaknesses in beams supporting the Sully wing. The gallery, which showcases Greek vases and includes office spaces, dates back to the 1930s and was shut less than a month after a high-profile daylight heist exposed security vulnerabilities at the world-famous museum.

According to the Louvre, the technical report made it necessary to immediately close the first-floor gallery and relocate 65 staff members working above it. Union representatives said employees had long raised concerns over the ageing building, but were surprised by the extent of deterioration now confirmed.

The closure comes as the museum faces scrutiny over its management practices. A recent auditor’s report criticised the prioritisation of art acquisitions and post-pandemic projects over infrastructure and security upgrades. The investigation into last month’s $102 million jewel theft—carried out using a lift, broken windows, and motorbike escape—remains ongoing. The Louvre, originally a royal palace built in the 12th century, continues to grapple with balancing heritage preservation and modern safety demands.

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Italy’s Ultra-Low Inheritance Tax Sparks Debate on Inequality and Growth

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Italy’s exceptionally low inheritance tax is coming under renewed scrutiny as economists argue that the country is preserving inequality by taxing inherited wealth far less than its European peers. Inherited assets in Italy reached €243 billion in 2024—14% of GDP and the highest level since the 19th century—yet they are taxed at an average rate below 0.5%, one of the lowest globally. Analysts say this “light touch” approach restricts social mobility and reinforces generational privilege, with studies showing that most Italian billionaires inherited their wealth rather than earning it.

Economists believe higher inheritance tax revenues—Italy currently collects just €1 billion a year—could be channelled into improving education, childcare, and lower-income tax relief, boosting long-term growth. Aligning with EU averages could add nearly €6 billion to Italy’s budget. However, political resistance remains strong. Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has firmly rejected any increase, citing ideological opposition to wealth taxes and low public trust in state services. Her government has even eased rules for wealthy families to transfer assets during their lifetimes, reducing future tax liabilities.

Italy’s overall tax structure further deepens the divide, with the richest 7% paying proportionately less tax than middle-income earners due to exemptions on property, favourable rates for the self-employed, and light taxes on financial assets. Economists argue that France and Germany demonstrate that higher inheritance taxes need not trigger capital flight or harm growth. Yet with a long tradition of anti-tax sentiment and political resistance, Italy remains unlikely to revise its inheritance tax system despite mounting evidence of its long-term economic costs.

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Germany Lifts Suspension on Israel Arms Sales as Ceasefire Holds

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Germany has announced that it will lift its suspension on certain weapons sales to Israel starting November 24, a pause that had been in place since August due to the Gaza war. The suspension covered arms and systems that could be used in Gaza, though equipment deemed essential for Israel’s external defence was still allowed. Berlin, one of Israel’s key arms suppliers after the United States, had faced strong domestic pressure over its decision to halt exports.

The German government said the resumption of sales depends on Israel maintaining the current ceasefire with Hamas and ensuring the continued large-scale delivery of humanitarian aid to Gaza. Officials stressed that all future arms deals will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis and closely monitored in line with developments on the ground. Germany reaffirmed its commitment to supporting long-term peace efforts and backing reconstruction in Gaza under a two-state framework.

The reversal drew mixed reactions: Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar praised the move and urged other nations to follow, while German Chancellor Friedrich Merz previously faced criticism from his own conservative bloc for the partial suspension. Germany has historically been one of Israel’s strongest supporters due to its responsibilities stemming from the Holocaust and supplied around 30% of Israel’s major arms imports between 2019 and 2023, including naval frigates used in the Gaza conflict.

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