Category: World

Moldova's Foreign Minister Mihai Popșoi has confirmed that Russian missiles and drones violated the country's airspace on the morning of 17 November.

Source: Popșoi on X (Twitter), reported by European Pravda

We strongly condemn the violation of Moldova’s airspace by Russia’s missiles and drones targeting Ukraine’s critical infrastructure today. Explosions near our border and sightings of low-flying drones over villages underscore the risks to our people from Russia’s brutal war. pic.twitter.com/WFa4OX46cr

— Mihai Popșoi (@MihaiPopsoi) November 17, 2024

Details: Foreign Minister also posted a video capturing the sound of missiles flying overhead.

Quote: "We strongly condemn the violation of Moldova's airspace by Russian missiles and drones targeting Ukraine's critical infrastructure. Explosions near our border and drones flying low over our villages highlight the risks posed to our citizens by Russia's brutal war."

Details: The footage, originally posted by Popșoi was shared by NordNews, which reported that it was sent by a resident of Ruseni village in Edineț District. The sender said that the missiles flew at low altitudes and the sound was recorded by surveillance cameras.

The Moldovan government’s Prima Sursă Telegram channel reported that several Russian drones may have breached Moldova's airspace. Due to their low altitude, they were not detected by radar systems. The statement also mentioned sightings of a missile on the Ukrainian side near Larga in Briceni District.

Background:

• On 10 November, Moldova identified two drones in Căușeni and Rîșcani Districts. Subsequently, the Moldovan Foreign Ministry handed a protest note to the Russian ambassador.
• Later, Moldovan authorities discovered a third drone on the outskirts of Coșernița village. Moldova has previously reported finding wreckage from drones used in Russian airstrikes on Ukraine.

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Robert Habeck became the Green Party's candidate for chancellor, receiving 96.5% of the vote at the party conference. He will campaign together with Annalena Burbock, and the party can count on 12% of the vote.

Following the party conference, the Greens nominated Vice Chancellor Robert Habeck as their candidate for the post of chancellor in the federal elections. UNN reports with reference to Spiegel.

Details

The Green Party, which according to polls could take up to 12% of the vote in the upcoming parliamentary elections, has elected Robert Habeck as its candidate for chancellor. He received 96.5% of the vote at the party conference. He is to lead the election campaign in a duo with current Foreign Minister Annalena Burbock.

I am running to make a difference for the Greens, for the people of Germany

– Habek said in his speech to about 800 delegates.

Habeck also defended the policies of the Greens in the government coalition and criticized the previous government's policies on energy and russia.

Recall

Recently, Robert Habeck announced his readiness to cooperate with all parties after the collapse of the "traffic light" coalition.

Friedrich Merz of the Christian Democratic Union will also run for chancellor . Recently, he gave a speechin which he indicated that he plans to act decisively on the russian-Ukrainian war, and by supporting Kyiv, he is ready to issue an ultimatum to the Kremlin.

German Vice Chancellor Habeck says support for Ukraine is insufficient: calls for more helpMay 13 2024, 01:47 PM • 18692 views

On the morning of 17 November, Russian forces struck a car with a drone in Dniprovskyi district of Kherson, killing three people.

Source: Roman Mrochko, Head of Kherson City Military Administration, on Telegram

Details: Authorities say a man, 58, and a woman aged 51 were killed.

Two other men, 37 and 39, received a blast injury and shrapnel wounds. They are in the hospital now.

Later, a bus was also attacked by the Russian forces in Kherson's Korabelnyi district.

The glass in the vehicle was shattered by debris, however neither the driver nor the passengers were wounded.

Later, a woman, 67, sought medical attention after being injured in a Russian attack in Kherson about 14:30.

Doctors diagnosed her with a blast injury.

Update: Mrochko later reported the third victim of Russian attack on Kherson: a 52-year-old man was killed in the Tsentralnyi district of Kherson after around 15 hours. As a result of the Russian attack, he suffered a blast injury that killed him.

Mrochko also reported another injured individual, a 70-year-old woman. At 15:30, she was injured by Russian bombardment in the city's Tsentralnyi district. The woman sustained a contusion, as well as a blast and closed head injury. The victim was inside when the attack occurred.
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A dead belted fish, considered a mythical harbinger of natural disasters, has been found on the coast of California. This is only the second case in three months and the 21st since 1901.

It is believed that the rare belted fish can bring huge natural disasters. It appeared for the second time in three months on the coasts of the US state of California.

Writes UNN with reference to NBC news.

A long, ribbon-like strapfish, rarely seen and considered a harbinger of disaster, washed up on the shores of California for the second time this year.

According to the Scripps Institution of Oceanography, the belted fish was found dead on the rocky shore of Grandview Beach in Encinitas last week.

HelpHelp

The crested herring (Regalecus glesne) or belt fish is a semi-deepwater fish found in warm to moderately warm waters of the Pacific, Atlantic and Indian Oceans. Its physical characteristics and undulating swimming style have led to speculation that this fish species may be the source of many sightings of the so-called “sea kite”.

According to the Scripps Institution, the belt fish is an incredibly rare creature.

Since 1901, only 21 belted fish have been recorded on the shores of California.

There is a popular belief that has become known over the years, especially widespread in Japan and other coastal cultures, that links the appearance of a particular fish to natural disasters such as tsunamis and earthquakes.

An earthquake with a magnitude of 6.8 occurred in CubaNov 10 2024, 09:54 PM • 19592 views

Airbnb paid $1.5 million to rent the Colosseum for the Gladiatorial Experience in May 2025. The project has sparked outrage among locals, who accuse the authorities of over-commercializing the historic site.

In Italy, there is public outrage over the Colosseum's state administration's permission for the American company Airbnb to rent the ancient Roman architectural monument for two days of advertising.

Transmits to UNN with a link to Wired and Spiegel.

Details

Online accommodation provider Airbnb has rented the Colosseum from the Italian state for two nights for $1.5 million (over 1.4 million euros) to

Hold a PR campaign called Gladiatorial Experience.

The event is scheduled to take place on May 7 and 8, 2025: it is expected to allow 16 participants, divided into eight pairs, to fully immerse themselves in the atmosphere of ancient Rome. The event is free of charge, but requires booking through the Airbnb website.

But local civic initiatives are outraged by the American company's project.

The initial indignation grew into a real uprising against the Airbnb gladiators – now the Colosseum's state administration is accused of betraying all its promises to regulate mass tourism.

The Association of Residents of the Historic Center of Rome, calls Airbnb's PR performance “shameful” because it “contributes to the destruction of history and human lives.

Others complain about the commercialization of the UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Airbnb claims that it wants to improve Europe's cultural heritage, a project in which the platform has already invested nearly €10 million in restoration and donations. The agreement will actually serve the Colosseum to reconstruct its museum grounds.

HelpHelp

The famous Colosseum in Rome is one of the most prominent cultural monuments. The Flavian Amphitheater (as it was called by the ancient Romans) was built in 80 AD. The Colosseum operated from 80 to 404, mainly as a place for gladiatorial fights, spectacular animal battles, and public executions.

In addition to gladiatorial battles, the Colosseum also hosted naval battles. It was an amazing show, for which the arena was flooded and detailed reconstructions of warships were used. Preparation required a lot of investment and scope, so sea battles were held only in the Colosseum.

Around the 8th century, the Colosseum was abandoned and was crumbling. Building materials for other buildings were taken from it. Until now, marble and some stones of the amphitheater adorn St. Peter's Cathedral, Lateran Basilica, and Palazzo Venezia.

Moldovan President Maia Sandu has strongly condemned Russia's latest large-scale attack on Ukrainian energy infrastructure.

Source: Sandu on X (Twitter), as reported by European Pravda

Details: Sandu condemned the use of winter to force the subjugation of an entire nation.

"I strongly condemn Russia’s massive air strikes on power infrastructure across Ukraine.

Weaponising winter to freeze a nation into submission is cruel and unacceptable. Moldova stands with Ukraine," the Moldovan president tweeted.

I strongly condemn Russia’s massive air strikes on power infrastructure across Ukraine.
Weaponising winter to freeze a nation into submission is cruel and unacceptable.
Moldova stands with Ukraine.

— Maia Sandu (@sandumaiamd) November 17, 2024

Background:

• Ukraine's Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha stressed that Russia's latest large-scale missile attack against Ukraine was war criminal Vladimir Putin's response to those who have called or visited him recently.
• On the afternoon of 15 November, it was reported that Scholz had spoken to Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin for the first time in two years. At the time, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy labelled the call a "Pandora's box".

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During a G20 event, Genia Lula da Silva spoke harshly about Elon Musk's regulation of social media. Musk responded to this on social network X, hinting at the defeat of the current government in the next election.

Brazilian First Lady Jena Lula da Silva scolded billionaire Elon Musk during a G20 social event on Saturday, where she spoke about the need to regulate social media to curb disinformation. UNN reports with reference to Reuters.

Details

As she spoke, a ship's horn sounded, and she joked: "I think it's Elon Musk," and then added: "I'm not afraid of you, fuck you, Elon Musk.

Musk reacted to the video of her statements by posting a graphic emoticon depicting loud laughter on the social network X. He added: "They will lose the next election," referring to President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva.

The president's wife spoke at the event on the eve of the G20 summit in Rio de Janeiro, which will take place on Monday and Tuesday.

Add

This year, Musk's social messaging network was suspended in Brazil for a month because the company failed to name its legal representative in the country and ignored court orders to block accounts accused of spreading fake news and hate messages.

Musk tries to become 'co-president' on Trump's team – NBC NewsNov 14 2024, 08:46 PM • 31638 views

Several railway sections in Ukraine's south, west and northeast suffered power outages due to a large-scale Russian attack on 17 November.

Source: press service for the Ukrainian Railways (Ukrzaliznytsia)

Details: As of 10:20, power has been restored to the blacked-out sections of the tracks via neighbouring substations, and most trains are running with regular electric locomotives. Delays had been reported earlier on some routes.

Trains are running under backup diesel locomotives on sections where the power supply has not yet been restored.

Background: On the night of 16-17 November, up to seven Tu-95MS strategic bombers took off from Olenegorsk, Russia. They launched cruise missiles, which entered Ukrainian airspace around 06:30. The attack, lasting about an hour, targeted Ukraine's energy sector.

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Iran is demanding $1 trillion in compensation from the United States for losses from the sanctions. Restrictive measures have been in place since 1979 after the Islamic Revolution and the seizure of the embassy.

Iran is demanding $1 trillion in compensation from the United States for the sanctions imposed on the country. This was announced on Saturday, November 16, by the Deputy Legal Affairs Commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), General Ali Shamkhani. This was reported by Al-Alam TV channel, UNN reports.

Americans must pay Iran $1 trillion in compensation for the damage they have caused to our country by restraining it,

– the message says.

It is known that the United States first approved restrictive measures against Iran after the 1979 Islamic Revolution.

For reference

The sanctions were imposed against the backdrop of the seizure of the embassy by a group of Iranian radicals. In particular, Washington stopped buying Iranian oil and froze Iranian bank deposits.

Later, some bans were lifted, while others were tightened. After the nuclear deal (2015), sanctions were gradually lifted in response to the restrictions on Iran's nuclear program.

Recall

The United States imposed sanctions against Iran's oil and petrochemical sectors in response to the missile attack against Israel. The restrictions apply to 16 organizations and 23 vessels associated with the Iranian oil industry.

Russian forces struck Volyn and Vinnytsia oblasts during a large-scale attack on the morning of 17 November.

Source: Volyn Oblast Military Administration; Natalia Zabolotna, Deputy Head of Vinnytsia Oblast Military Administration

Details: The authorities specified that the energy infrastructure in both oblasts had been damaged.

Early reports indicate no casualties.

Power outages have been reported in Vinnytsia Oblast.

The authorities stressed that the missile threat persists and urged people to stay in shelters.

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