Russia rejects possibility of Turkey escorting Ukrainian grain ships through Black Sea
From CNN’s Katharina Krebs in London
Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Vershinin said the option of having Turkey escort grain ships through the Black Sea is not a viable alternative to the collapse of the grain deal, after Russia suspended its participation in the pact earlier this week.
“I think that this option is dangerous and impossible,” Vershinin said during a press briefing on Friday.
He said that his country’s return to the Black Sea Grain Initiative was in the hands of Moscow’s “foreign partners” and that currently there are no negotiations on another deal.
Vershinin said Russia was working on alternative export routes for its agricultural exports, holding “serious contacts with African countries on the delivery of Russian cargo, including grain,” as well as with Turkey.
“We are ready to consider various options for further continuation of the supply of grain to the world market, both grain and fertilizers,” he said. “Among the countries we have very close cooperation with is Turkey, traditional cooperation, and we are also in contact with them now about what to do in the current situation.”
India: four men arrested after women stripped naked and paraded in Manipur
Police say further arrests expected as attack captured in viral video prompts nationwide outrage
Four men have been arrested in connection with the case of two women who were stripped naked, publicly paraded and allegedly gang raped in the Indian state of Manipur, in an attack that caused outrage after it was captured in a viral video.
The arrests took place on Thursday, a day after the footage of the assault prompted anger across India and was condemned by the prime minister, Narendra Modi, and the supreme court. The police said more arrests were expected soon.
The police faced criticism after it emerged that the attack on the women, who belong to the minority Kuki tribe, had taken place in early May. Despite a police case being filed at the time, no action was taken for more than 70 days until the video went viral and pressure was put upon the authorities to act.
Igor Girkin: Russian officials detain nationalist critic
Girkin made a name for himself as a separatist commander during the Russian annexation of Ukraine’s Crimean peninsula in 2014. However, he has since become a critic of Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Russian authorities detained the ultra-nationalist Kremlin critic Igor Girkin on Friday on charges of inciting extremist activity.
Girkin, 52, made a name for himself as a separatist commander in eastern Ukraine during Russia’s illegal annexation of the Ukrainian peninsula of Crimea in 2014.
However, he has expressed sharp criticism of the Kremlin following Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine last year.
His wife wrote on his Telegram channel that Russia’s Federal Investigative Committee (FSB) had come to their house and that “they took my husband out by his arms and in an unknown direction.”
Investigation: Africa under Russian influence
In France, pan-African influencers are gaining more and more followers on social media. Advocating a radical anti-Western ideology, some of them claim responsibility for the recent coups in Mali and Burkina Faso. Their narrative is similar to that of the Kremlin, which is trying to place its pawns on the African continent. FRANCE 24 profiles two French influencers who seem to have taken sides with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Japan’s seafood exports hit as China ramps up radiation checks
THE ASAHI SHIMBUN
Japanese fish and shellfish exporters are facing a collapse of their largest export market after Chinese authorities tightened radiation testing on shipments.
The measure, imposed in some ports on fresh fish, comes as Japan’s government prepares to release treated radioactive water into the Pacific Ocean. The water is currently held in storage tanks at the Fukushima No. 1 nuclear power plant.
“Fresh fish used for sashimi and other dishes cannot be sold because it does not stay fresh,” said a person involved in Japan-China trade.
Around two weeks ago, customs authorities began detaining all Japanese marine products at some import sites, several sources said. China’s government said the scrutiny will expand to other locations, too.
Nebraska teen sent to 90 days in jail over abortion
A US teenager was sentenced to 90 days in jail after taking abortion pills to end her pregnancy and disposing of the foetus with her mother’s help.
Celeste Burgess, now 19, pleaded guilty to illegally concealing human remains after she had an abortion around 28 weeks of pregnancy when she was 17.
Her mother, Jessica Burgess, 42, faces up to five years in prison for helping her daughter and violating Nebraska’s abortion law.
Nebraska now bans abortion at 12 weeks.
Police opened the investigation into the mother and daughter in June 2022, before the Supreme Court overturned the nationwide right to abortion and left it to states to determine whether or how to allow the procedure.
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