Ukrainian embassies receive animal eyes packages
Ukraine’s embassy in Madrid received a parcel containing animal eyes on Friday, the latest in a series of similar “bloody packages” sent to its diplomatic missions across Europe, Ukrainian and Spanish officials said.
Police cordoned off the compound in the Spanish capital and started searching the area with sniffer dogs.
The packages, soaked in a liquid with a distinctive colour and smell, have been sent to embassies in Hungary, the Netherlands, Poland, Croatia and Italy, to general consulates in Naples and Krakow, and the consulate in Brno, Ukraine foreign ministry spokesman Oleg Nikolenko said.
The bloody missives follow the reception of six letter bombs sent in the past week to addresses in Spain including Ukraine’s embassy in Madrid, Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez and the US Embassy to Madrid, prompting Spain to step up security.
WHO estimates 90% have some resistance to Covid-19
The WHO estimated on Friday that 90 per cent of the world population now has some resistance to Covid-19, but warned that a troubling new variant could still emerge.
Gaps in vigilance were leaving the door open for a new virus variant to appear and overtake the globally dominant Omicron, said World Health Organisation director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
“WHO estimates that at least 90 per cent of the world’s population now has some level of immunity to Sars-CoV-2, due to prior infection or vaccination,” said Mr Tedros, referring to the virus that causes Covid-19 disease.
Biden weighs reviving Trump-era immigration restrictions
US President Joe Biden’s administration would make it harder to seek asylum at the US-Mexico border under several plans being considered that bear similarities to policies pushed by former President Donald Trump.
Two Department of Homeland Security (DHS) officials and a person familiar with the matter said the administration is discussing a fast-track regulation to deny asylum to single adult migrants if they do not first seek protection in other countries.
The sources said they had not seen a copy of the proposed regulation so could not provide further details.
Group cut Banksy mural off battle-scarred Ukraine wall
A group of people tried to take a mural by graffiti artist Banksy on Friday by cutting away a section of battle-scarred wall where it was painted, the governor of Kyiv region said.
The group managed to slice off a section of board and plaster bearing the image of a woman in a gas mask and dressing gown holding a fire extinguisher on the side of a scorched building.
But they were spotted at the scene in the city of Hostomel near Kyiv and the mural was retrieved, Oleksiy Kuleba said in a statement.
World Cup: Cameroon stun Brazil but fail to go through
Vincent Aboubakar headed in a stoppage-time winner and was then sent off as Cameroon claimed a memorable 1-0 victory over favourites Brazil at the World Cup on Friday, but still failed to go through to the last 16.
Aboubakar, who had come in to captain Rigobert Song’s team, connected with a cross from substitute Jerome Ngom Mbekeli to break the deadlock in the 92nd minute at Doha’s Lusail Stadium.
He was booked for removing his shirt in the wild celebrations that followed and, having already been cautioned, had to leave his teammates to see out the remainder of the game.
