Three people have leapt from a migrant rescue boat where they were being held after being refused permission to disembark in Italy, the BBC has been told. The three were among about 250 migrants refused permission to disembark after officials deemed them “healthy”. They were rescued by police, but it is unclear what will happen to them next. Their bid to reach the shore came as Rome repeated its vow to halt migrant boats crossing the Mediterranean. Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni used her maiden speech to MPs in late October to highlight the issue, saying she wanted to “stop the people traffickers from having the choice of deciding who enters Italy”. Far-right infrastructure minister Matteo Salvini told Italian radio on Monday it was not just people who were being trafficked in increasingly dangerous “organised trips”, but weapons and drugs too. Italy is one of the main entry points into Europe. Since the start of the year, 85,000 migrants have arrived on boats, according to the UN. Migrants set sail in small, overcrowded boats from North Africa, often get into distress and are rescued by charity vessels.(BBC)…[+]

The sister of jailed British-Egyptian activist Alaa Abdel Fattah says she “hopes and trusts” that Prime Minister Rishi Sunak will be able to secure his release while visiting Egypt for COP27. Speaking from Sharm el-Sheikh, where the climate summit is taking place, Sanaa Seif told the BBC she was sure he “can do it if it is really a priority”. Abdel Fattah, 40, has been on hunger strike for more than six months. His family has said he has now stopped drinking water and may die within days. A spokesman for Mr Sunak in Downing Street said the prime minister had stressed his “deep concern” over the case during a meeting with Egyptian President Abdul Fattah al-Sisi. “The prime minister said he hoped to see this resolved as soon as possible and would continue to press for progress,” said the spokesman. Ahead of the trip, Mr Sunak told Abdel Fattah’s family in a letter that his government was “deeply committed to doing everything it can” to secure his release.(BBC)…[+]

Up to now, neither Russia nor Ukraine has been able to gain control of Ukraine’s skies, largely because their pilots don’t want to risk getting shot down by the other side’s air defence systems. While Russia’s air force far outweighs Ukraine’s, both in size and sophistication, Russia has resorted to firing long-range ballistic and cruise missiles, recently augmented by cheap, mass-produced Iranian Shahed-136 explosive-laden drones. Ukraine has had some success in shooting many of these down, but those that do get through have severely damaged Ukraine’s power and water infrastructure, just as winter is setting in. And now a new report is warning that Ukraine is in danger of running out of the weapons it needs to stave off the massive Russian air attacks. The report, from London-based think tank the Royal United Services Institute (Rusi), warns that unless Western nations maintain and step up their supply of air defences to Ukraine. then Russia is likely to use the same bombing techniques it used in Syria, to devastating effect.(BBC)…[+]