Poland’s President Andrzej Duda said “very many” immigrants come to Europe expecting a free ride, in an interview aired Sunday on a US political affairs programme.

The comment comes against a background of Warsaw’s accusations against Moscow that it has tried to smuggle thousands of people from Africa into Europe by flying them to Russia and sending them to the Polish border via Belarus.

“If someone comes over to Poland in the false perception that one will stay here and get everything for free and will have a better life without working, well, we do not agree to such arrivals,” said Duda.

He was speaking to conservative news host Sharyl Attkisson on Sinclair Television’s “Full Measure” programme.

Asked by Attkisson whether great numbers of people were coming to Europe expecting a free ride, Duda said “yes”.

“I think that in very many cases, we have such a situation. That’s why there is such a reaction in the West of Europe,” he added.

The interview was also available online on the programme’s website.

Since summer 2021, thousands of migrants and refugees, mainly from the Middle East, have crossed or attempted to cross the border between Belarus — an ally of Russia — and Poland, a NATO and EU member.

In May, Warsaw announced it would spend more than 2.3 billion euros ($2.5 billion) on fortifying its eastern border with Belarus that it said Russia has used to destabilise the region with hybrid attacks.

The following month, a Polish soldier on patrol at the border was fatally stabbed through a five-metre-high (16-foot) metal fence that Poland had erected in 2022.

The Polish army also reported other attacks on troops at the border.

In July, Polish lawmakers voted to allow the security forces to use lethal weapons in response to active threats, including at the tense border with Belarus.

AFP

30-year-old daughter of Dubai’s ruler, Sheik Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum has launched perfume called ‘DIVORCE.

Recall that Mahra and Sheik Mana’s whirlwind romance was the subject of fascination from the beginning.

Born into one of the most powerful royal families in the world, Mahra grew up surrounded by wealth, luxury, and high society.

Her marriage in May 2023 was a grand affair, celebrated not just in the UAE but internationally.

It was a union that seemed to blend the allure of royal prestige with modern glamour.

Sheik Mana, a prominent billionaire known for his business acumen, was viewed as the perfect match for the vivacious Mahra.

The couple welcomed their first child, a daughter, in May 2024, which marked a high point in their marriage. However, behind the scenes, it seems all was not as perfect as it appeared.

In the wake of her divorce, Mahra channeled her energy into a new business venture, a perfume line under her Mahra M1 brand.

But this wasn’t just any fragrance; she chose to name her latest product Divorce.

The dramatic naming choice raised eyebrows, but it also highlighted Mahra’s penchant for defying expectations.

The Divorce perfume, described as both bold and empowering, is marketed as a fragrance for women reclaiming their independence and finding strength after a breakup.

In the official launch statement, Mahra mentioned that the scent was designed to capture “the essence of liberation and self-love.”

The perfume is a mix of exotic florals and rich spices, offering a sophisticated, yet daring aroma—a fitting metaphor for Mahra’s journey.

The launch event, held at an opulent Dubai venue, attracted celebrities, influencers, and high-profile guests, reinforcing Mahra’s status as a trendsetter in the luxury industry.

With its sleek, minimalist bottle design and emotionally charged name, Divorce is poised to become a best-seller, especially among women seeking a statement fragrance.

A member of the Tanzanian opposition party Chadema has been found dead after being abducted, beaten and doused with acid, party leader Freeman Mbowe said Sunday.

Ali Mohamed Kibao, a member of Chadema’s national secretariat, was forced off a bus at gunpoint on Friday by suspected security agents as he was travelling from Dar es Salaam to the northern port city of Tanga, party officials said.

His body was found in the Ununio waterfront district of Dar es Salaam on Saturday night.

The incident comes less than a month after Mbowe, his deputy Tundu Lissu and other Chadema leaders were briefly detained in a mass roundup that raised concerns about the shrinking democratic space in Tanzania.

“The postmortem has been conducted (witnessed by) Chadema lawyers and it is clear that Kibao was severely beaten and had acid poured on his face,” Mbowe told reporters.

“We cannot allow our people to continue disappearing or being killed like this,” he said. “The lives of Chadema leaders are currently at risk.”

He said several other party officials had also gone missing, without giving details.

Tanzanian President Samia Suluhu Hassan said she had learnt of Kibao’s murder “with great sadness” and extended her condolences to his family, friends and party leaders.

“I have directed the investigative authorities to provide me with a detailed report on this extremely grave incident and similar cases urgently,” she said in a post on X, formerly Twitter.

“Our country is democratic, and every citizen has the right to live. The government I lead will not tolerate such acts of cruelty.”

Kibao was a retired military intelligence officer who had worked with other opposition parties as well as the ruling Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM) before joining Chadema.

Chadema’s director of communication and foreign affairs John Mrema told AFP that Kibao was 69 and had been a party member since 2008.

Police said in a statement they were continuing to investigate “this tragic incident” and vowed that those responsible would be brought to justice.

Rights groups and government opponents have raised fears the recent crackdown on the opposition could signal a return to the oppressive policies of Hassan’s predecessor, the late president John Magufuli.

The arrests came despite Hassan vowing a return to “competitive politics” and easing some restrictions on the opposition and the media, including lifting a six-year ban on opposition gatherings.

Amnesty said the mass arrests in August were a “deeply worrying sign” in the run-up to local government elections in December 2024 and general elections due late next year.

Mbowe himself was also arrested in July 2021 ahead of a party meeting to demand constitutional reforms before being freed the following March after prosecutors dropped terrorism charges against him.

Lissu, who ran unsuccessfully for the presidency in 2020, has also been arrested multiple times and survived an assassination attempt in 2017.

He returned to Tanzania, after living largely in exile for more than five years, following Hassan’s decision in 2023 to lift the ban on opposition.

AFP