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French far-right MP De Fournas suspended for shouting ‘Back to Africa’

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The National Assembly of France has given a far-right MP a 15-day suspension for yelling “they should go back to Africa” while a black colleague discussed immigration. National Rally’s Grégoire de Fournas claimed that his remark was not directed at Carlos Martens Bilongo but rather at migrants sailing to Europe.

Since he was born in France, Mr. Bilongo called the comment “shameful.” On Friday, the MPs decided to suspend him and take away half of his allowance. The ruling is referred to as the Assembly’s heaviest censure.

Mr. Bilongo had been pressing the authorities over SOS Méditerranée’s plea for assistance in locating a port for 234 migrants who had recently been saved at sea.

Since the National Rally MP could have been referring to more than one person, the precise meaning of his statement is questioned. Qu’il retourne en Afrique, which is how the official account of the session described his off-microphone comment, sounds exactly the same in the plural Qu’ils retournent en Afrique.

The Speaker, Yal Braun-Pivet, asked to know who had spoken after Mr. de Fournas made his remark. She then declared that “This is not conceivable” and called for the session to be suspended as the MPs screamed “Out! Out! Out!”

A member of parliament for France Unbowed (LFI), Mr. Bilongo said: “My skin tone has come up again today. I am a French MP and I was born there.” Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne said there was “no room for racism” and Interior Minister Gérald Darmanin said the MP should resign.

Mr de Fournas was adamant he had been referring to the “boat transporting migrants to Europe”, and party leader Marine Le Pen accused her political opponents of fabricating a vulgar outcry.

He later apologised to Mr Bilongo for “the misunderstanding” his comments had caused and if he had been hurt by them.

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Russia to ban sharing LGBT ‘propaganda’ with adults as well as children

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The contentious Russian ban on disseminating alleged “homosexual propaganda” appears to be expanding to include all adults. With this change, a 2013 regulation that made it illegal to tell minors about being LGBT has been made much stricter.

For encouraging what Russia refers to as “non-traditional sexual interactions,” those found guilty face significant fines. The Russian State Duma passed the extension’s initial approval with a unanimous majority.

Officials had earlier this week lobbied members of Russia’s lower house of parliament to approve the extension, framing it as a component of a larger conflict with the West over civilizational norms and connecting it to the decision to invade Ukraine.

Information about “non-traditional lifestyles” or “the rejection of family values” would be viewed legally on par with pornography, the encouragement of violence, or igniting racial, ethnic, or religious tensions under the plan.

Additionally, it outlaws “promotion of paedophilia,” which the Russian government frequently equates with homosexuality.

The additions also forbid any information that could “lead minors to desire to change their sex,” a reference to transgender individuals.

Infractions of the ban are punishable by fines ranging from 50,000 roubles (£705; $815) to 400,000 roubles, and non-Russians who do so risk being expelled from the nation.

Although the proposal has widespread support, it must first be approved by the Federation Council, the Russian parliament’s upper house, before Vladimir Putin can sign it into law.

One of the law’s leading supporters claimed on Monday that the sharing of information about LGBT individuals with Russians was a part of a “hybrid war” being fought by the West against the nation. Politicians in the Duma heard this argument.

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News Trending War

Nord Stream: Sweden finds new leak in Russian gas pipeline

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The fourth leak this week has been found, this time in Sweden, in a significant undersea pipeline supplying Russian natural gas to the EU. This week, gas leaks in the Nord Stream 1 and 2 pipelines were reported by Sweden and Denmark.

The events, according to Nato, were caused by “deliberate, careless, and negligent acts of sabotage.” Suggestions that Russia had attacked its own pipelines were brushed aside as “predictable and stupid.” The explosions, according to the Russian foreign ministry, happened in “zones controlled by American intelligence.”

It was obvious that a non-state actor could not have been behind the incidents, meaning that a country must have been to blame, according to Miguel Berger, the German ambassador to the UK. The fourth leak on Nord Stream 2 was discovered, according to the Swedish coast guard, very close to an earlier, larger leak on Nord Stream 1.

In retribution for the West’s support for Ukraine, the EU has accused Russia of using gas supplies as a weapon against it on numerous occasions. Without going into any detail, Fatih Birol, the head of the International Energy Agency, stated that it is “quite evident” who is responsible for the damage.

The leaks, said to Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov, have him “very concerned,” and he added that it was impossible to rule out a planned strike. The energy infrastructure of the continent would be subject to the “strongest possible response,” according to EU leaders.

While this was going on, Norway, a non-EU country, declared it would send troops to guard oil and gas facilities. Despite the fact that they both contain gas, Nord Stream 1 and 2 are not currently delivering any gas.

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Crime News Trending

Deadly gun attack at Russian school

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At least 15 people have been killed and 24 injured when a shooter opened fire at a school in central Russia, according to Russian authorities. 11 students from the school with roughly 1,000 students in Izhevsk are among the victims. The shooter was a former student of the institution and committed suicide there.

Online videos appear to show chaos inside the structure where the incident occurred, with kids and people running through hallways. In other video, kids can be seen hiding beneath desks and there is blood on the floor of the classroom and a bullet hole in the window. According to Russia’s investigating committee, two security officers and two teachers were among the four adults and eleven youngsters who died. All but two of the 24 injured individuals were children.

The school building in central Izhevsk, a metropolis of around 650,000 people, has been cleared of staff and students. According to reports, the attacker, Artem Kazantsev, was carrying two firearms.

In a video that was uploaded online by state investigators, the gunman’s lifeless body is shown lying on the ground while donning a balaclava and a T-shirt bearing a Nazi insignia. Investigators are looking into his home.

The region’s chief has declared a time of mourning that will extend until September 29. According to his spokesperson, Russian President Vladimir Putin is “truly mourning” the victims and has condemned the massacre as a “inhuman terrorist crime.”

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News Trending War

Ukraine war: We’ve retaken 6,000 sq km from Russia, says Zelensky

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According to the president of the nation, Ukrainian forces are continuing their counteroffensive and have taken additional Russian land. According to Volodymyr Zelensky, forces have now liberated more than 6,000 sq km (2,317 sq miles) of territory in the east and south from Russian rule in September.

Some military experts believe that Russia’s admission that it lost important cities in the Kharkiv region of eastern Ukraine could be a turning point in the war. Moscow refers to its recent troop pullout from the area as a “regrouping” with the intention of concentrating on the Luhansk and Donetsk areas in eastern Ukraine. Even in Russia, where many social media users have mocked the idea, the purported pullout has been called “shameful.”

Later on Monday, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken stated that the counter-offensive by Ukrainian forces had made “substantial progress,” but cautioned that it was still too early to determine the outcome.

According to Mr. Blinken, “The Russians continue to utilise extremely considerable forces, as well as equipment, ammunition, and munitions, against not just the Ukrainian armed forces, but also against civilians and civilian infrastructure.

On February 24, Russian President Vladimir Putin gave the order to invade Ukraine completely. About a fifth of the country is still under Russian control. In his late-night video message on Monday, President Zelensky stated: “Our fighters have already liberated more than 6,000 sq km of the territory of Ukraine from the beginning of September till today.

The counteroffensive seems to have started quickly. President Zelensky claimed on Thursday that Ukrainian forces had retaken 1,000 square kilometres, but by Sunday, that claim had increased to 3,000 square kilometres.

Several Ukrainian brigades that participated in the counteroffensive were thanked by Mr. Zelensky, who called their soldiers “real heroes.” He withheld the names of the liberated Ukrainian towns and villages.

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News Trending War

Kharkiv offensive: Russian forces retreat as Ukraine takes key towns

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In response to a quick Ukrainian counterattack, Russian forces have left strategic eastern towns. According to Ukrainian sources, on Saturday, troops entered Kupiansk, a crucial supply base for Russian forces in the east.

The Russian defence ministry then declared that its troops had left nearby Izyum so they could “regroup.” The ministry has acknowledged the removal of troops from Balaklyia, a third significant town, in order to “bolster efforts” on the Donetsk front.

If maintained, the Ukrainian advances would be the biggest since Russia retreated from regions near Kiev in April.

Fighting was fierce in the early phases of the invasion at Izyum, a significant military centre for the Russians.

The Russian statement stated that a three-day operation was conducted to draw down and organise the transfer of the Izyum-Balakliya group of troops to the Donetsk People’s Republic’s territory.

“A powerful fire defeat was inflicted on the enemy to avert damage to the Russian soldiers.”

Shortly after, according to the Russian state-run TASS news agency, the head administrator of the Kharkiv region’s areas under Russian authority advised its citizens to flee to Russia “to save lives”.

Additionally, the governor of the nearby Russian region of Belgorod declared that those waiting in line to cross the border would have access to mobile food, heating, and medical care.

While Ukraine continues to request military assistance from the West, the successes will be seen as proof that its army can retake Russian-occupied territory. The victory for Ukraine would be a humiliating blow for Russia because Russian soldiers entered and conquered the region in the first week of the war.

Earlier, UK defence authorities said that Ukraine had entered previously Russian-held territory 50 kilometres (31 miles) in advance. The Russian military was probably caught off guard, according to the UK Ministry of Defence. “Ukrainian soldiers have captured or encircled many towns, and the area was only tenuously held.”

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Klyuchevskaya Sopka: Climbers killed during a fall on Russian volcano

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At least six individuals have died while climbing Eurasia’s highest active volcano in eastern Russia’s Kamchatka region, local media claim. They said rescuers are unable to reach another six climbers on the Klyuchevskaya Sopka volcano because of terrible weather. At 3,300m (10,827ft) above sea level, two of the climbers are thought to be sleeping in a camp, and at 4,000m, four more are thought to be in a tent.

The climbers are all citizens of Russia. According to local media, the 12-person group, which included two guides, started their ascent to the 4,754-meter summit on Tuesday. But on Saturday, four days later, four climbers are thought to have died instantly after falling at a height of roughly 4,000 metres. Soon after, two more people passed away.

It has been claimed that one of the guides broke his leg, and it was not immediately clear how the other climbers were doing.

Klyuchevskaya Sopka is a part of the natural Volcanoes of Kamchatka Unesco World Heritage Site, and its symmetrical cone soars high above the Kamchatka peninsula. Some indigenous populations regard the volcano as sacred.

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News Trending War

Ukraine condemns Russia’s ‘humiliating death’ tweet after prison attack

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After the Russian embassy in the UK tweeted that Ukrainian soldiers from the Azov battalion deserved to die a “humiliating death” by hanging, Ukraine branded Russia a “terrorist state.” The post from the embassy occurred after more than 50 Ukrainian prisoners of war (POWs) detained by Russia died, purportedly including Azov soldiers.

They perished in an assault on the Russian-controlled Olenivka prison in eastern Ukraine. Russia and Ukraine each lay blame for the attack that killed the detainees. The message from the Russian Embassy in the UK was left up by Twitter since it violated their anti-hate standards, but it was not taken down. Along with the Ukrainian government, a sizable number of Twitter users condemned the remark. According to Twitter, keeping the post accessible might be in the public interest.

The self-declared Donetsk People’s Republic, which has Russian support, is in charge of the Olenivka prison camp (DNR). Unknown is what occurred there on Friday. Unconfirmed Russian video footage from the scene depicts a jumble of demolished bunk beds and severely burned victims.

The Russian embassy in the UK tweeted during the incident that Azov “Since militants aren’t actual troops, they should be hanged rather than put to death by firing squad. They should be executed in humiliation “. The tweet includes a video clip of a couple in a destroyed structure claiming that Azov forces shelled their house. The individual in the video repeats what is stated in the embassy’s call for execution.

The attack, according to Russia’s defence ministry, was carried out with US-produced Himars artillery, and Ukraine was charged with having “deliberately perpetrated” the provocation. The ministry displayed pieces of what it claimed to be Himars system rockets.

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News Trending War

Russia’s McDonald’s replacement runs low on fries

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According to Russian media, some locations of the recently launched fast food chain “Tasty and that’s it,” which took the position of McDonald’s in Russia, would temporarily stop providing fries. Because there aren’t enough of the right kind of potatoes available, customers will need to order another side dish to go with their burgers and nuggets. By the fall, according to the business, fries will be back on the menu. In opposition to the invasion of Ukraine, McDonald’s withdrew from Russia. A Russian investor purchased the American fast food chain’s eateries, and in June, a few of them reopened under the slogan “Vkusno I Tochka,” which translates to “Tasty and that’s it.”

However, a month after the restaurant’s debut, one of its signature dishes remains hard to find. It’s also possible that “rustic potatoes,” a thicker-cut variation of the standard French fry, won’t be available. According to a statement given to the Russian news outlet Tass, the harvest for the type of potato required to create fries in 2021 was subpar.

Although it had also become impossible to import potatoes from markets that may temporarily replace the domestic supply, it was stated that the corporation normally tried to purchase potatoes from Russian suppliers. However, Russia’s agriculture ministry attempted to allay any worries about a potato scarcity in a Telegram message headed “There are potatoes – and that’s it.”

“There are plenty of potatoes, especially processed ones, on the Russian market. Additionally, crops from the upcoming harvest have already begun to arrive, eliminating the danger of a scarcity “added the ministry. In 1990, McDonald’s built its first location in Moscow, signalling the opening of deeper trade and cultural links between the West and the former Soviet Union.

But more than three decades later, in opposition to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the American icon and scores of other Western businesses withdrew from the country.

Wide-ranging sanctions imposed by the West on Russia currently damage supply chains and raise unemployment. Up to 10% of the Russian economy is predicted to contract in 2022.

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Brittney Griner pleads guilty to Russian drugs charge

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Brittney Griner, a US basketball player, admitted guilt to drug charges in a Russian court but said she didn’t do it on purpose. The gold medalist from the Olympics was held in February at a nearby airport after it was claimed that cannabis oil vape cartridges were discovered in her luggage.

She explained to the court in Khimki, “I was in a rush packing and the cartridges accidentally landed up in my luggage. Her trial started last week on allegations that may land her in jail for ten years. Cherelle Griner, Griner’s wife, had earlier urged Joe Biden to take “whatever steps are required” to achieve her release. Cherelle Griner was informed by Mr. Biden that he was working to obtain a release as quickly as feasible.

The basketball player had already written to the president expressing her fear that “she might remain here forever.” The US has been cautioned by Russian government representatives not to “make noise in public about the case.” According to deputy foreign minister Sergei Ryabkov, “the hype and working on the public, with all the enthusiasm for this genre among modern politicians, today only complicates” the legal process.

“Please accept my guilty plea, your honour. But no intention was present. I wanted to avoid breaking the law, “In English, Brittney Griner addressed the court. She stated that she needed more time to prepare and would prefer to deliver her testimony later. After that, the trial was postponed for a week.

With the WNBA franchise Phoenix Mercury, Griner is one of the most successful players in the women’s professional league in the US. She had gone to Russia in the off-season to play club basketball, and she has played for the EuroLeague team UMMC Ekaterinburg since 2014.

Her high-profile arrest at the Sheremetyevo airport outside of Moscow occurred a week before Russia invaded Ukraine, despite the fact that cannabis oil is illegal in that country.

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