Health News

The Russian medical team, who treated the patients who were victims of a military explosion in the Arctic is now afraid of their own physical conditions, since they had not taken any protection while treatment.

Two among the medical team in Arkhangelsk spoke about the victims’ evacuation, on condition of anonymity, reports BBC.

Authorities said that the blown up of “isotope-fuel” engine at the Nyonoksa test range on 8th of August have killed five nuclear engineers and 6 others were injured.

A new weapon system had been used in the test, said the president Vladimir Putin.

The medical team were present at the the civilian Arkhangelsk regional hospital, where three among the injured were treated. Reports said that three other casualties were taken to an Arkhangelsk hospital called Semashko, which is equipped for radiation emergencies.

These medical team are now afraid of their own health and are saying that no such “[safety] violations” should occur again.

One among the medics said, “We don’t want them to bring us next time not three, but ten people, God forbid, and hide the information from us again”.

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News

Russian President Vladimir Putin issued heroism awards on four of the 14 submarine crew who died during a secret mission on 1 July.

‘Hero of Russia medals’ has been awarded to the four officers, all captains. Two other officers on board had already received those medals for earlier missions.

The other 10 crew members, who were also officers, received Russia’s Order of Courage.

The Kremlin said that the crew heroically prevented the fire without reaching the nuclear power unit. The toxic smoke produced by fire had been inhaled by the crew members.

The bodies of these 14 brave men were brought to St Petersburg for burial.

This unnamed secret submersible will be put back into service soon, according to the Russian government. The government refused to reveal details of the mission that turned into a disaster, citing official secrecy. The vessel had been exploring the Arctic seabed area.

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Accidents News

Russian President Vladimir Putin confirmed that the deep-water submersible that caught fire on Monday was nuclear-powered. The accident had killed 14 crew.

It was during a conversation with Russia’s defense chief Sergei Shoigu that Putin’s comment came. The defense chief confirmed that the incident was caused by a fire in a battery compartment. According to Shoigu, the reactor is “completely isolated now” and “in full working order”.

In the fire caused in the submersible in the Barents Sea, 14 senior officers died of smoke inhalation. The Kremlin did not released information about the blaze initially, calling it a state secret. The confirmation came 3 days after the incident happened.

Only a limited power reserves had been equipped with the submersible, which was quite smaller than the submarine. At the time of fire, the submersible was carrying out research in Russian territorial waters. It is now at the naval base in Severomorsk on the Barents Sea.

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News

After similar happenings of violent clashes in the country, the Russian President Vladimir Putin has temporarily banned Russian airlines from flying to Georgia.

The decree that is due to be implemented from 8th of July has been signed by Putin on Friday. About 240 people had been hurt a day earlier in protests that were ignited by the appearance of a Russian MP in Georgia’s parliament.

After a war over the region of South Ossetia, which happened before 11 years, the problems between the two countries are on its higher side.

All tours to neighbouring Georgia will also be suspended as Moscow also decides to back up this decision of PM.

A gathering of MPs from Orthodox Christian nations had been addressed by Sergei Gavrilov, the Russian MP who sparked the fury on Thursday. But protesters rushed to the parliament in the capital, Tbilisi, and police had to use used rubber bullets and tear gas to disperse them.

Irakli Kobakhidze, the speaker of Georgia’s parliament has given his resignation following these issues.

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News

Three leading newspapers in Russia is observed to be in huge support of a reporter charged with drug offences, in a case that has caused a huge public outcry.

Leading news papers Vedomosti, RBC, and Kommersant have their headlines as support for the charged reporter. The headlines read, ”
“We are Ivan Golunov”, referring to the investigative journalist.

Ivan Golunov (36) was charged over the weekend with trying to illegally sell drugs. His lawyer said that these drugs were planted. During his arrest last week, the journalist was reportedly beaten up.

Golunov is a freelance journalist, and had contributed to a number of media outlets including Meduza, the Latvia-based news site.

The Russian social media were having huge discussions regarding his arrest, saying that the arrest suppresses the freedom of press.

Dmitry Peskov, the Kremlin spokesman said that President Vladimir Putin was informed about the case and was made aware regarding this last week and was “keeping a very close eye on all the details”.

Peskov said, “Mistakes cannot be ruled out anywhere or anytime, mistakes are made, among others, by journalists, when they write stories”.

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News

Russian Parliament has passed two bills on Thursday. The first bill bans any activities of ‘disrespect’ to the state, its officials and Russian society. The second one is against spreading of what the Kremlin perceives to be ‘fake news’. It is expected that the Russian President Vladimir Putin will be signing these bills into law soon.

Both these new crimes carries heavy fines. It is reported that oppositions came from journalists, human rights group and even government ministers. The body will consider both the bills on 13th March.

The punishments for the ‘disrespect’ to the state includes fines up to 100,000 roubles (£1,150; $1,500). Repeated violations of the law could double or even triple the amount in fines, or a 15-day jail sentence.

The punishments for spreading ‘fake news’ varies. Individuals, officials and businesses will be fined 300,000, 600,000 or 1 million roubles respectively if the news spread affects “functioning of critical infrastructure” like transport or communications. The articles that containing “blatant disrespect” for the government or “public morality” should be deleted within 24 hours.

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News

The mass invasion of starving polar bears is terrorising the Russia islands. As the sea ice diminishes, the polar bears, affected by climate change are entering on to land seeking food. Local officials said that emergency is declared in this remote Russian region. Parents are scared to send the children to school in this area fearing the polar bears.

Authorities in the Novaya Zemlya islands, home to a few thousand people, said that there were groups of bears attacking people. The bears are also found entering the residential and public buildings.

Polar bear, entering house

Russia classes the Polar bears as endangered species. Hurting these animals are hence illegal, and has been banned. The federal environment agency has refused to issue licences to shoot them. The polar bears are fearless about the police patrols and warning signals. Officials said that stronger measures would be needed in this issue.

Sunaya Paison
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International Trade News

Several European Union countries have expressed their concerns about an oil pipeline project that connects Russia and Germany, named Nord Stream 2.

The main concerns are that the pipeline project will make Germany more reliant to the Russian oil and that reliance may be misused by Russia to fulfil its political and economic goals.

France is the first country that has come out publically against the deal. Later, supporting the stand taken by France, most countries in the east and central regions of Europe –overcoming their fear of retaliatory action from the Germans– have criticised the Germany’s move.

Germany has invested hugely in the project. The project is several decades old. At this moment, Germany cannot withdraw from the deal suddenly as such a move will cost them several millions.

France is likely to dilute its position in the coming hours. Though the EU countries are unhappy with the pipeline project, none wants to interrupt the project at this stage. These factors give confidence to Germany to go ahead with the project.

The EU primarily imports oil from Norway and Russia. Most EU countries are of the opinion that a pipeline that connects Poland and Norway should be created. The newly developed Russia-Germany pipeline which passes beneath the Baltic Sea gives a serious blow to the EU’s Norway plans.

Vignesh. S. G
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Crime News

A European couple, who are on a South East Asian trip, has been booked by Malaysian police over a street act involving swinging their baby.

The video has been shared more than fifteen thousand times in Facebook. It is a social media user who has notified the police authorities that such an abuse has happened in the South Asian country.

The Malaysian police, under whose custody the couple is now, informed the media houses that the baby was safe.

A Russian social media user claimed that such kind of stunts were common in Russia. He even said that it was not illegal in Russia.

The couple is a part of a team who are on the mission to travel around the South Asia with the amount collected from its street plays. This kind of travellers is normally called as buster travellers.


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International Trade News

Venezuela’s oil economy has almost died due to the US sanction. Now, it relies almost solely on its gold trade for its sustenance. The United Arab Empire, Russia and Turkey are the biggest importers of the Venezuelan gold. Of these three, Turkey’s trade with the socialist Latin American is the one which worries the European Union and the United States the most. It is alleged that the gold reaches Turkey from Venezuela ostensibly for the purpose of refinement is shipped to Iran. The US is of the belief that the network of the Venezuela-Turkey-Iran gold trade is what enables the embattled Venezuelan President, Nicolas Maduro, who is on an ultimatum, to keep the loyalty of his country’s soldiers intact. The west now knows that the best way to topple the aggressive Venezuelan socialist is to cut off his revenue channels. The EU and US’ latest combined attempt to force Turkey to stop its engagements with Venezuela, particularly its gold trade, is regarded as the part of that strategy. The US has reportedly served an ultimatum to Turkey to cease its gold trade with Venezuela.

If Russia and the others does not increase their gold and oil import with Venezuela, Mr Maduro will be toppled as soon as the EU and the US find success in forcing Turkey to withdraw its backup –by all possibility that would not take more than few weeks.

It is not clear from where Iran has come to the picture. There is evidence that Turkey has brought in several tonnes of gold from Venezuela in the name of refinement and none of the imported has been returned. But, there is nothing to assume that what has been imported by Turkey has been exported to Iran. The possibility that Iran has been purposefully brought into the narrative to increase the strength of those against the Venezuelan trade cannot be ruled out blindly.

Vignesh. S. G
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