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Political situation in Poland

Far-right party can become kingmaker in the Polish election  

The far-right Confederation party could have a decisive role in Poland's elections held on Sunday. According to the polls, the governing party Law and Justice appears to be the largest party, but the support does not seem to be enough for a majority of its own.  

The AFP news agency writes that the most likely partner for Law and Justice is the Confederation. A survey published this week showed that the two parties could seize a narrow majority of the 460 mandates at stake. At the same time, other polls indicate that the two parties risk missing out on a majority by a small margin.  

Before the election, the confederation demanded that Polish support for Ukraine cease. 

If Law and Justice were to fail to retain power with the help of the Confederation, a possible government could be formed by a three-party liberal coalition, led by former EU chief Donald Tusk. 

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Teacher killed in knife attack at school in northern France  

 

A teacher has been killed in a knife attack in the city of Arras in northern France on Friday morning. Two more people are seriously injured – another teacher and a security guard, writes Le Figaro.  

 

A suspected perpetrator has been arrested by police, French authorities say. According to information in the French media, the perpetrator must have shouted "Allahu akbar" in connection with the attack.  

 

The perpetrator's brother has also been arrested, according to the Ministry of the Interior, which writes that the brothers are of Chechen origin.  

 

All schools in the city have been closed and the police have been put on high alert. An investigation into terrorism has been launched.

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The  flight to Europe

 

People smugglers flee from German police - seven dead  

 

Seven people died and 16 were injured when a vehicle tried to escape a German police checkpoint in Mühldorf near Munich on Friday, AP writes. The vehicle ran off the road and overturned.  

 

According to the police, the driver was a people smuggler and upwards of 20 migrants must have traveled with the car.

 

The police call the smuggler's actions inhumane.  

 

- He wanted to escape the police to save his own skin, you are speechless, says Interior Minister Joachim Herrman.

   

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The earthquake in Afghanistan

90 percent of those killed in the earthquake were women and children 

 

More than 90 percent of the people who died in the earthquake in Afghanistan this weekend were women and children, according to the UN children's fund Unicef, according to AP. Men were affected on a smaller scale because the quake occurred at a time in the morning when many of them had already left home.  

 

The quake is a disaster for the already strained healthcare system in the province of Herat, The Guardian reports.  

 

Several days after the earthquake, people are still digging in the rubble for missing relatives. The hospitals cannot accept more patients.  

 

- I could hear my mother-in-law wailing during the racial masses. I tried to save her but more tremors followed and I ran my way, says Samira whose baby is also missing after the earthquake.  

 

At least 3,000 people have been confirmed dead.