Poland shoots down drones over its territory amid Russian attack on Ukraine | First Thing

PM says operation followed ‘repeated violations of Polish airspace’. Plus, New Mexico to be first state to offer free universal childcare

Good morning.

Polish and Nato air defenses shot down several drones that entered its airspace on Wednesday morning, as Russia’s attack on Ukraine spread to Nato territory in the most significant way since the war began.

Is this a first? A stray Ukrainian missile struck a southern Polish village in 2022, killing two people, but there have previously been no reports of Polish or other Nato defence forces destroying drones.

Could it be an accident? The Ukrainian president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, does not think so owing to the number of drones that entered Polish airspace. In his view “Moscow is always testing the limits of the possible, and if it does not meet a strong reaction, moves to a new level of escalation”.

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How significant is this? A Georgia-based immigration attorney based said it was “outrageous” and emphasised that it was illegal to detain a valid visa-holder in this way.

Are there others? Attorneys working on the case had already claimed that immigrants with a valid working status were swept up alongside the people allegedly working unlawfully, and placed in removal proceedings. That view was backed up by an agency official, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive government matters.

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James McAvoy reportedly assaulted in Toronto bar

Actor promoting his directorial debut California Schemin’ at the city’s film festival is reported to have been punched by another drinker

The actor James McAvoy was assaulted in a bar in Toronto, it has been reported.

According to People magazine, McAvoy was “sucker punched” by another visitor to Charlotte’s Room bar on Monday evening, two days after the premiere of his directorial debut, California Schemin’, at the Toronto film festival.

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Six shot dead in two days as Cape Town reels from gang violence

Minister admits there is ‘no proper plan’ to tackle violent crime in divided city that pulls in 2.4 million visitors

Six people have been shot dead in two days in a crime-plagued area of Cape Town, adding to the death toll in a city already reeling from the scourge of gang-related violence.

At 11.30pm on Monday, two women, aged 19 and 25, were killed and a 24-year-old woman injured in a shooting in Wallacedene, an informal settlement on Cape Town’s north-eastern edge, South African police said. About 10 minutes later, two other women in their 20s were killed by gunshots to the head in a bedroom in the same area, with police saying the deaths may be linked.

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Von der Leyen vows to punish Israel’s ‘extremist ministers’ and pause payments – politico.eu

  1. Von der Leyen vows to punish Israel’s ‘extremist ministers’ and pause payments  politico.eu
  2. Ursula von der Leyen calls for suspension of EU free trade with Israel  The Guardian
  3. EU Commission chief to propose new measures targeting Israel  Reuters
  4. Israel launches strikes in Yemen as EU chief seeks sanctions on Israel over war in Gaza  AP News
  5. Middle East updates: EU suspends Israel payments over Gaza  DW
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French police arrest dozens as ‘Block Everything’ protests escalate – Euronews.com

  1. French police arrest dozens as 'Block Everything' protests escalate  Euronews.com
  2. France Braces for Protests  The New York Times
  3. ‘My first barricade’: latest French protests unite people from variety of backgrounds  The Guardian
  4. ‘Block Everything’ Protest Rocks France: What to Know  The Wall Street Journal
  5. French police clash with 'Block Everything' protesters while Macron installs a new prime minister  AP News
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Emptying olive oil an ‘act of faith’, accused say, after pleading guilty to damaging Sydney’s Anzac Memorial

Two born-again Christians admit damaging war memorial but argue their behaviour is a show of faith rather than disrespect

Emptying bottles of olive oil on a war memorial in broad daylight is an act of faith, say two men who have admitted recklessly damaging the sacred site.

Abel Clark and Peter McMaster, both 61, may have permanently stained the granite walls and steps of Sydney’s Anzac Memorial when they “blessed” them with olive oil about midday on 4 September.

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Tornado in central NSW and flood rescues in Sydney as wild weather soaks state

Heavy rainfall forecast to continue in Sydney on Thursday as low pressure weather system heads for parts of Queensland

Two groups have been rescued from flooding while a tornado warning for central New South Wales has been downgraded as large parts of the state brace for a further battering of rainfall and heavy winds from a low pressure system off the Tasman Sea.

The NSW State Emergency Service said it had responded to more than 90 incidents in the past 24 hours, including flood rescues for a motorist who had driven off a cliff face at Camden Bypass and a group of bushwalkers trapped by flood waters at Wattamolla.

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Trump asks EU to impose tariffs of up to 100% on India and China

In effort to end Russia’s war in Ukraine, US president proposes tariffs targeting Putin allies and trade partners

Donald Trump has asked the EU to impose tariffs of up to 100% on India and China as part of an effort to force the Russian president, Vladimir Putin, to end the war in Ukraine.

The US president made the demand during a meeting between US and EU officials discussing options to increase economic pressure on Russia on Tuesday, according to a White House official.

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South Korean woman who bit off attacker’s tongue acquitted after 61 years – BBC

  1. South Korean woman who bit off attacker's tongue acquitted after 61 years  BBC
  2. South Korean Woman Cleared Decades After Biting Attacker’s Tongue During Attempted Rape  The New York Times
  3. Court lifts sentence on South Korean woman who bit off attacker’s tongue  Al Jazeera
  4. South Korean woman who bit attacker's tongue off has 1964 conviction quashed  Australian Broadcasting Corporation
  5. South Korea overturns 60-year ruling on woman's self-defence case  Omak-Okanogan County Chronicle
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Army tries to restore order in Nepal after protest violence intensifies – Politico

  1. Army tries to restore order in Nepal after protest violence intensifies  Politico
  2. From 'nepo kids' to PM resignation: How the Nepal protests unfolded  BBC
  3. What Nepal's 'Gen Z' protesters have to say  Reuters
  4. "What Have You Done?" Chilling Saga Of Nepal Prince Murdering Royal Family  NDTV
  5. Nepal protests over repealed social media ban rage, sparking prime minister's sudden resignation  CBS News
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