Tourists horrified after human leg washes up on popular Spanish beach
Tourists were left horrified after a human leg was found washed up on a popular Spanish beach. A human leg and part of a hip were discovered by a passerby walking along the seashore in the east coast resort of Gandia. The woman spotted an object in the sand and dug it out with a stick before calling emergency services, Spanish newspaper informacion.es reported. A full investigation is now underway to identify the victim and their cause of death. Police believe the remains may have come from someone on board a ship that was transporting people from North Africa to Europe, according to Las Provincias. It is not known exactly where the ship was headed to, but police believe it may have been travelling to Spain or Italy. Las Provincias also reported an autopsy has been carried out, that confirmed the remains had been in the water for three weeks, citing a document from the Forensic Anatomical Institute of Valencia. Police believe the leg and hip, which were in an advanced state of decomposition, were detached from the body due to the impact of the sea. “As everything indicates that the leg was detached from the body due to the strong waves, given that it is entire from hip to ankle, it is likely that there are other remains of the body in the sea,” a source from the investigation said, Las Provincias reported. The area where the remains were found has now been sealed off. A search is also being carried out to find the rest of the corpse. Read More Shark attacks swimmer in shallows of popular Spanish holiday beach Fifteen people a day attacked by fish in Benidorm as people with moles warned Fisherman airlifted to hospital after shark bite off coast of Portugal
2023-09-05 23:47
Drone warfare map reveals how Ukraine is striking Russia hundreds of miles from the frontline
As drone strikes continue to rain down on Russian soil, Vladimir Putin’s bloody war has reached his own doorstep. The strikes are now daily and on Tuesday the Russian defence ministry said its air defence systems destroyed two drones over the Kaluga and Tver regions, which border the Moscow region, as well as one closer to the capital, over the Istra district. Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said that the drones “were trying to carry out an attack on Moscow“ and that a consumer services facility was damaged in the Istra district, which is located some 65 km (40 miles) northwest of the Kremlin. Attacks on Russia have increased sharply, with the largest such strikes hitting six regions on one night last week. That assault included two Russian military transport planes being destroyed – and two more damaged – at an airbase in the city of Pskov. Ukraine’s military intelligence chief, Kyrylo Budanov, said that the drones were launched from inside Russia. However, in speaking to the War Zone website, Mr Budanov did not say whether the attack – about 400 miles (700km) from the Ukraine border – was carried out by Ukrainian or Russian operatives. “We are working from the territory of Russia,” he said. Officials confirmed attacks on six targets in the Pskov, Bryansk, Kaluga, Orlov, Ryazan and Moscow regions. Meanwhile, Moscow has continued to carry out drone attacks on Ukrainian targets including port infrastructure. On Monday, 32 Russian kamikaze drones struck the Ukrainian port city of Odesa, damaging civilian and industrial buildings. The assault on the military airfield in Pskov that damaged aircraft has been deemed the most significant attack, situated more than 600km (400 miles) from Ukraine, it was where a number of elite paratroopers are stationed. The state-run Tass news agency reported at least four giant Il-76 transport planes were damaged in the four-hour wave of drones, two of which had “burst into flames”. Moscow retaliated on Wednesday by launching a “massive combined attack” on the Ukrainian capital using drones and missiles, that killed two people and injured another. Kyiv officials normally neither claim nor deny responsibility for attacks on Russian soil, though they sometimes refer obliquely to them. The apparent Ukrainian drones reaching deep into Russia and cross-border sabotage missions are part of Kyiv’s efforts to heap domestic pressure on the Kremlin, militarily and politically. Meantime, a Ukrainian counteroffensive launched in June is chipping away at some parts of the front line, Kyiv officials claim. Read More The Body in the Woods | An Independent TV Original Documentary The harrowing discovery at centre of The Independent’s new documentary Ukraine war – live: Putin accused of trafficking Cubans to fight for Russia in his invasion The three reasons Putin will be terrified of Ukraine’s counteroffensive win Kim Jong-un to hold weapons talks with Putin after ‘travelling to Russia in armoured train’
2023-09-05 22:29
The maker of Wegovy and Ozempic is now Europe's most valuable company
Novo Nordisk has dethroned Bernard Arnault's luxury goods giant LVMH as Europe's most valuable company.
2023-09-05 19:46
Europe’s Real Rates Fuel Speculation Over Faster ECB Bond Runoff
Speculation is mounting the European Central Bank will shrink its bond portfolio at a quicker pace to ensure
2023-09-05 14:51
The three reasons Putin will be terrified of Ukraine’s counteroffensive win
Ukraine’s counter-offensive breakthrough will come as a “shock” to Russian President Vladimir Putin, an expert has said. Mark Galeotti, professor of Slavonic studies at UCL, said Russians had become “complacent” and believed their defence to be more effective than Kyiv’s progress would suggest. It comes after Ukrainian generals claimed troops had breached Russia’s first line near Zaporizhzhia and were gathering momentum in an offensive many observers claimed had failed. Professor Galeotti explained there were three aspects to Ukraine’s counteroffensive gains that would particularly concern the Russian leadership. “One is on the battlefield,” he told The Independent. “It demonstrates their slow, methodical bite and hold strategy is in fact working and has the chance to hammer the second line of Russian defences.” “The second is political,” he continued. “It is also a response to critics in the West who suggested it is time for Ukraine to negotiate because it wasn’t going to make any move. “And thirdly, in terms of the Russians. I think they had started to get a little bit complacent as autumnal rains got closer. I think they thought they had pulled the defence off. “It will come as a shock, but we have seen on the whole the Russians are quite effective in the defence. So I think they’ll be doing what they can to shore up that second line.” Brig Gen Oleksandr Tarnavisky, who leads Ukraine’s southern offensive, claimed Russian troops had devoted 60 per cent of their time to its first defence, and only 20 per cent each into its second and third. He claimed Russia would soon run out of its “best” soldiers, giving Ukraine an advantage to attack “more and faster”. However, Chatham House consulting fellow Keir Giles, who researches Russian security, said there was no sign of “imminent collapse” among Russian forces despite Kyiv’s latest breakthrough. He told The Independent: “There are optimistic noises from Ukraine about whether the offensive might progress a little faster now because they have broken through the first and strongest Russian defensive line. “But that of course does not mean that things are going to collapse imminently on the Russian side, as some have suggested. “The resilience of Russia and its forces remains imponderable. There is no sign of imminent collapse of the Russian economy or society.” Mr Giles added there were signs Russia feels it is in a position to “drag the conflict out” and wait for the Western coalition to collapse. Ukrainian deputy defence minister Hanna Maliar said their forces had retaken about 1.16 square miles of land in the past week around the eastern city of Bakhmut, which was captured by Russian troops in May after months of heavy fighting. Moscow has continued to carry out drone attacks on Ukrainian targets including port infrastructure. Last night, 32 Russian kamikaze drones struck the Ukrainian port city of Odesa, damaging civilian and industrial buildings. At least 23 of the Iranian-made Shahed drones were shot down by the Ukrainian military, the country’s Air Force said. Soon after, Ukraine’s defence spokesman claimed some of the drones exploded on Romanian territory. Romania’s Ministry of Defence said it “firmly” denied the claim but reiterated its support for Ukraine and said Russian attacks on the country break “all international humanitarian rules”. General Tarnavisky told the Guardian: “When we started the counter-offensive we spent more time than we expected on de-mining the territories. “Unfortunately, the evacuation of the wounded was difficult for us. And this also complicated our advance. “In my opinion, the Russians believed the Ukrainians would not get through this line of defence. They had been preparing for over one year. They did everything to make sure that this area was prepared well.” On Sunday, Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky said he had decided to dismiss Defence Minister Oleksii Reznikov from his post and would ask parliament this week to replace him with Rustem Umerov, head of Ukraine‘s main privatisation fund. The announcement, made in his nightly video address to the nation, sets the stage for the biggest shakeup of Ukraine‘s defence establishment during the war launched by Russia in February 2022. Read More Ukraine-Russia war – live: Putin’s forces pushed back in the south as Moscow launches kamikaze drone attack Zelensky needed to sack his defence minister – but it goes beyond just corruption scandals Ukraine's defense minister resigns following Zelenskyy's announcement of his replacement The Body in the Woods | An Independent TV Original Documentary The harrowing discovery at centre of The Independent’s new documentary
2023-09-05 14:50
Stocks Fall on Weak China PMI; Aussie Dollar Falls: Markets Wrap
Stocks declined after disappointing China services data added to concern over the nation’s fragile economic recovery. Australia’s dollar
2023-09-05 14:46
Ukraine war – live: Putin accused of trafficking Cubans to fight for Russia in his invasion
Cuban citizens are being trafficked to fight for Russia in its war in Ukraine, the country’s foreign ministry said. A human trafficking operation was being run by criminals working in both the Caribbean island nation and thousands of miles away in Russia, the Cuban government said, adding that they were being incorporated into the military forces participating in war operations in Ukraine. Authorities are now working to “neutralise and dismantle” the network. Russia has yet to comment on these allegations. It comes as North Korean leader Kim Jong-un was expected to travel to Russia and meet Vladimir Putin this month to discuss the possibility of supplying Moscow with more weapons. In a rare trip abroad, Kim would most likely travel by armoured train from Pyongyang to Vladivostok, Russia’s Pacific coast, where he would meet Putin, the New York Times reported on Monday, citing US and allied sources. On the battlefield in Ukraine, Russian forces have been pushed back in the south as well as along the eastern front near Bakhmut, the Ukrainian military said. Read More President Zelensky nominates Rustem Umerov as Ukraine’s new defence minister Russian cyber-attacks ‘relentless’ as threat of WW3 grows, expert warns Ukraine ‘targets critical bridge’ built by Putin as counteroffensive ‘breaks through on southern front’
2023-09-05 13:29
UK to Lift Effective Ban on New Onshore Wind Farms This Week
The UK will announce new planning regulations that will lift an effective ban on new onshore wind farms
2023-09-05 04:52
WTO Chief Criticizes Rich Nations for Protectionism
The head of the World Trade Organization sharply criticized western governments for embracing protectionist policies and shifting toward
2023-09-05 03:18
Luton Airport buses arrive in Ukraine to help fight war against Putin
Buses from Luton Airport have arrived in Ukraine to help troops on the frontline in the war against Vladimir Putin. The buses, operated by Go-Ahead, were used until March this year to shuttle passengers between Luton Airport and the nearby railway station. They will now be used as rest areas for soldiers in Eastern Ukraine and to transport supplies for front-line troops after being donated to a charity supporting the Ukrainian war effort. Go-Ahead donated the vehicles to local charity, Swindon Humanitarian Aid Partnership, which provides vehicles to Ukraine that can be used as field hospitals and rest areas for troops or for transporting supplies. The buses, which still have their Luton Airport livery intact, will be fitted with shower and toilet facilities. One of the buses is likely to be used as a mobile exhibition in Ukraine showing the devastation brought about by the Russian onslaught, Go-Ahead said. A spokesperson for the company said: “These vehicles have done years of duty shuttling holidaymakers and suitcases. They’re now retired from airport duty and we’re glad they can be put to good use – as a small contribution to Ukraine’s war effort.” Last month, Sheffield-based bus firm First donated two buses to Ukraine, loaded with medical aid. Mercy mission organiser Craig George, of Ukraine UK Aid Volunteer Group, said they would be used by volunteer medics in freshly targeted areas. Read More ‘Our own front line’: Ukrainian surgeons see wave of wounded soldiers since counteroffensive began Ukraine’s defence minister submits resignation to Zelensky after biggest shake-up since invasion Ukraine war troop deaths and wounded nearing 500,000, say US officials
2023-09-05 00:17
Top Green Fund Backs Deforestation-Free Crops With $189 Million
The world’s biggest global climate fund has approved a $189 million commitment to &Green facility to support agriculture
2023-09-04 23:55
Fifteen people a day attacked by fish in Benidorm as people with moles warned
Holidaymakers in Benidorm have been warned of fish attacks as more than 15 people a day are seeking first aid after being attacked by “piranha-style” fish. Obladas fish are reportedly attacking holidaymakers, Spanish newspaper Informacion.es reported. The fish are said to be attracted by moles, warts or small wounds on the skin - especially on older people, and can draw blood and leave teeth wounds on their victims’ arms, legs and backs. In recent days there have been several cases on Poniente beach in Benidorm, according to Informacion.es. Very warm weather has raised the temperature of the sea and has increased the metabolism of the fish, increasing their appetite, according to experts. The sea temperature is currently between 29 and 30 degrees, according to the Climatology Laboratory of the University of Alicante. The phenomenon was first reported to the Alicante rescue and first aid service in mid-August 2017. A spokesman from Spain’s Department of Marine Species said: “This is a fish used to being fed. There may be a high population density and they do not run away from people, hence they peck at wounds.” Swimmers are also being advised not to go in the sea with jewellery that shines because this can lead to attacks from species such as pomfrets, golfer fish or bluefish. Obladas are a small grey fish with a black spot on their tail fin and can reach about 30cm in length. Read More Whale hunting returns to Iceland despite hopes ban would last forever Shark attacks swimmer in shallows of popular Spanish holiday beach Fisherman airlifted to hospital after shark bite off coast of Portugal Pregnant woman in Greece for anniversary among thousands now left stranded abroad ‘It will take a long time’ for flights to return to normal, says Nats chief Aerial footage captures partially collapsed bridge after torrential downpour in Spain
2023-09-04 22:54