Brittney Griner: US basketball star jailed for nine years on drug charges - BBC

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A Russian court has sentenced US basketball star Brittney Griner to nine years in prison on drug charges.

As Griner, 31, was being led out of the courtroom in handcuffs, she was heard saying: "I love my family."

The double Olympic winner has admitted possessing cannabis oil - but told court she made "honest mistake".

The court in Khimki, near Moscow, convicted her of smuggling and possessing narcotics. The prosecution had sought a nine-and-a-half jail term.

Reading the verdict on Thursday, the presiding judge said she took into account the fact that the American had already spent a considerable time in detention.

Griner's defence lawyer Maria Blagovolina said her client was "very upset, very stressed".

"She can hardly talk. It's a difficult time for her. When we saw Brittney on Tuesday, we told her, 'See you on Thursday'. She said, 'See you on doomsday'. So it looks like she was right."

The defence team said they would appeal against the verdict.

Griner, who is considered one of the best players in the world, was detained in February at an airport near Moscow when vape cartridges containing cannabis oil were found in her luggage.

She had come to Russia to play club basketball during the US off-season.

Soon after, Russia invaded Ukraine and her case has become subject to high profile diplomacy between the US and Russia.

US President Joe Biden called the sentencing "unacceptable".

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said: "Russia, and any country engaging in wrongful detention, represents a threat to the safety of everyone travelling, working, and living abroad."

It is unclear how long she will actually spend behind bars, as the US and Russia have been discussing a potential prisoner swap that could involve the basketball player.

Reports in US media suggest imprisoned Russian arms trafficker Viktor Bout - known as the Merchant of Death - could be transferred by Washington to the Russian authorities as part of the deal.

• 'The merchant of death' - Who is Viktor Bout?

After the court heard closing arguments, Griner said: "I made an honest mistake, and I hope in your ruling it does not end my life."

"I did not conspire or plan to commit this crime," she added.

Griner also said she had received neither an explanation of her rights nor access to a lawyer in the initial hours of her detention, and that she had to use a translation app on her phone to communicate.

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2022-08-04 19:45:46Z
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Brittney Griner: US basketball player sentenced to nine years in Russian jail over drug charges - Sky News

A Russian judge has convicted and sentenced American basketball player Brittney Griner to nine years in prison for drug possession and smuggling.

President Joe Biden described the jail term as "unacceptable" and called for her immediate release.

Judge Anna Sotnikova said the time Griner has served in custody since her arrest in February would count towards the sentence.

Griner reacted to the term with little emotion and listened to the verdict with a blank stare on her face, as the judge handed down her sentence and fined the basketball player 1 million roubles (£13,435).

Image: Griner pictured behind bars in the dock

Mr Biden said in a statement: "Today, American citizen Brittney Griner received a prison sentence that is one more reminder of what the world already knew: Russia is wrongfully detaining Brittney.

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"It's unacceptable, and I call on Russia to release her immediately so she can be with her wife, loved ones, friends, and teammates."

The 31-year-old was arrested at Moscow airport on 17 February after police said they found vape canisters containing cannabis oil in her luggage.

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She pleaded guilty to charges and before the verdict was delivered on Thursday, Griner told the court she had no intention to break the law when she flew to Russia to play basketball in the city of Yekaterinburg.

Image: Griner was part of the winning 2012 NCAA Women's basketball champions. Pic: AP

"I want to apologise to my teammates, my club, my fans and the city of (Yekaterinburg) for my mistake that I made and the embarrassment that I brought on them," Griner said, her voice cracking.

"I want to also apologise to my parents, my siblings, the Phoenix Mercury organisation back at home, the amazing women of the WNBA, and my amazing spouse back at home.

"I made an honest mistake and I hope that, in your ruling, it doesn't end my life here."

While recapping the evidence and giving her findings, the judge said the Phoenix Mercury player took drugs into Russia illegally.

Image: Griner cut a piece of the net after the Baylor Bears defeated the Notre Dame Fighting Irish in Denver in 2012

Griner's lawyer said they would appeal the sentence, adding that the court ignored evidence they had presented as well as the guilty plea.

They said they were "disappointed" by the verdict.

The Russian prosecutor had called for the two-time Olympic gold medallist to be sentenced to nine and a half years in prison.

Griner said: "I love my family", as she was escorted out of the courtroom in handcuffs.

Following the verdict, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said the sentencing "compounds the injustice of her wrongful detention", with the White House national security spokesperson adding Mr Blinken will try to speak to his Russian counterpart, Sergei Lavrov.

He has previously proposed a high-stakes prisoner swap, which could see Griner and Paul Whelan, another America imprisoned in Russia on an espionage conviction, go free.

Russian officials hit out at US statements about the case, saying a possible deal should be discussed through "quiet diplomacy without releases of speculative information".

The WNBA and NBA described the sentencing as "unjustified and unfortunate, but not unexpected".

"The WNBA and NBA's commitment to her safe return has not wavered, and it is our hope that we are near the end of this process of finally bringing BG home to the United States," the basketball leagues said in a joint statement.

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2022-08-04 17:03:45Z
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French man, 62, survives 16 hours in capsized boat in Atlantic Ocean before rescue 'verging on the impossible' - Sky News

A 62-year-old French man survived for 16 hours in an air bubble inside his capsized sailboat in the Atlantic Ocean before being rescued in an operation described as "verging on the impossible".

The 40ft Jeanne SOLO Sailor sent out a distress signal at 20.23 on Monday from 14 miles from the Sisargas Islands off Spain's northwestern Galicia region, the coast guard said.

A rescue ship carrying five divers set sail to rescue the man, who has not been named, as one of three helicopters sent to aid the search located the upturned vessel as the sun went down.

The man responded to divers seeking signs of life by banging on the hull from the inside.

Image: Pic: Salvamento Maritimo

However at the time the sea was too rough to attempt a rescue, so the team attached buoyancy balloons to the ship's hull to prevent it from sinking further and waited until the morning.

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The man was found under the boat wearing a neoprene survival suit submerged in water up to his knees, as two divers swam under to help him out.

He was airlifted to safety and taken to hospital for checks but released soon afterwards with no issues.

Vicente Cobelo, a member of the coastguard's special operations team, told a local station the man voluntarily jumped into the freezing water and swam under the boat to reach the sea's surface.

He said: "Of his own initiative, he got into the water and free dived out, helped by the divers who had to pull him through because it was difficult for him to get out in his suit".

Read more:
Stranded boaters jump for joy as they're rescued in Alaska
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Tracking data had shown the Jeanne SOLO Sailor had set sail from the Portuguese capital of Lisbon on the morning of the previous day.

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2022-08-04 04:58:36Z
CBMijgFodHRwczovL25ld3Muc2t5LmNvbS9zdG9yeS9mcmVuY2gtbWFuLTYyLXN1cnZpdmVzLTE2LWhvdXJzLWluLWNhcHNpemVkLWJvYXQtaW4tYXRsYW50aWMtb2NlYW4tYmVmb3JlLXJlc2N1ZS12ZXJnaW5nLW9uLXRoZS1pbXBvc3NpYmxlLTEyNjY1MTQ10gGSAWh0dHBzOi8vbmV3cy5za3kuY29tL3N0b3J5L2FtcC9mcmVuY2gtbWFuLTYyLXN1cnZpdmVzLTE2LWhvdXJzLWluLWNhcHNpemVkLWJvYXQtaW4tYXRsYW50aWMtb2NlYW4tYmVmb3JlLXJlc2N1ZS12ZXJnaW5nLW9uLXRoZS1pbXBvc3NpYmxlLTEyNjY1MTQ1

Putin is heading for ‘economic oblivion’ | World - The Times

Sanctions have had a disastrous impact on the Russian economy with the country headed for “economic oblivion”, a study by Yale University has found, despite Moscow’s efforts to downplay the repercussions of the invasion of Ukraine.

Although President Putin’s government had raked in billions of dollars from energy sales at inflated prices since the invasion on February 24, indicators from other sectors suggested much domestic economic activity had ground to a halt, the study found. The exodus of international business and a slump in exports belie the claims that its economy remains robust and is winning the “war of economic attrition”.

Experts at the Yale School of Management used consumer data from Russia’s international trade and shipping partners to measure economic activity five months after

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2022-08-03 23:01:00Z
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Icelandic volcano erupts near capital's airport - Sky News

A volcano has begun erupting near Iceland's main airport, the country's meteorological authorities have said.

The eruption is near the Fagradalsfjall mountain, 32km (20 miles) southwest of the capital Reykjavik, the Icelandic Meteorological Office said.

A live video feed from the site shows molten lava and smoke spewing from a fissure in the ground.

The airport remained open, and no flights were disrupted.

It comes after days of small earthquakes in the area.

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The eruption is close to Keflavik Airport, Iceland's international air traffic hub.

An eruption in the same area last year produced spectacular lava flows for several months.

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Image: An eruption in the same area in May last year produced spectacular lava flows for several months

Iceland, which is located above a volcanic hotspot in the North Atlantic, sees an eruption every four to five years on average.

The most disruptive happened in 2010, when the Eyjafjallajokull volcano sent clouds of ash and dust into the atmosphere, halting air travel for days between Europe and North America over concerns the ash could damage jet engines.

More than 100,000 flights were grounded and millions of passengers stranded.

Image: The Eyjafjallajokull volcano eruption in 2010 sent clouds of ash and dust into the atmosphere, halting air travel for days between Europe and North America

But unlike the 2010 eruption, this one is not expected to spew much ash or smoke into the atmosphere.

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2022-08-03 18:14:28Z
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Iceland: Volcano close to Reykjavik and Keflavik Airport erupts - Metro.co.uk

A volcano close to the capital of Iceland and the country’s main airport has started to erupt.

The Icelandic Meteorological Office said the eruption is near the Fagradalsfjall mountain, 20 miles south-west of the capital Reykjavik.

A live video feed from the site shows molten lava spewing from a narrow fissure in the mountain.

The eruption follows days of small earthquakes in the area along a peninsula known to be a seismic hot-spot.

In March last year, lava fountains erupted spectacularly from a 500-750 metre long crack in the same area, with activity continuing until September.

It was the first to take place in the area for as long as 800 years but the country is no stranger to eruptions and earthquakes.

The island is located above a volcanic hotspot in the North Atlantic and averages an eruption every four to five years.

Cameras set up close to the volcanic area confirm lava is pouring from the ground (Picture: mbl.is)

The Icelandic Meteorological Office said the eruption is near the Fagradalsfjall mountain (Picture: Metro)

Lava if flowing from a crack which has opened up in the Earth’s surface (Picture: ruv.is)

Fresh volcanic activity close to Keflavik Airport, Iceland’s international air traffic hub, has the nation’s airline industry on high alert.

A ‘code red’ has been issued’, preventing aircraft from flying directly over the site, but this could be stepped down after further investigations.

Eruptions on Iceland have been known to have knock on effects on European aviation.

The eruption of the Eyjafjallajokull volcano in 2010 sent clouds of ash and dust into the atmosphere, interrupting air travel for days between Europe and North America.

More than 100,000 flights were grounded, stranding millions of passengers.

Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@metro.co.uk.

For more stories like this, check our news page.

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2022-08-03 14:42:00Z
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Kansas voters reject anti-abortion amendment to state constitution - Financial Times

Voters in Kansas have rejected a bid by the state’s Republican-controlled legislature to amend the state’s constitution in a way that would have paved the way for lawmakers to ban or restrict abortion.

The referendum was the first electoral test of public opinion in the US since the Supreme Court in June stripped away federal protection for the procedure.

On Wednesday morning, with 96 per cent of votes counted, the No campaign was ahead by 59 per cent to 41 per cent, pointing to a crushing defeat for Republicans and anti-abortion activists who had backed the so-called Value Them Both amendment.

US president Joe Biden said the vote made it clear that the majority of Americans agree that women should have access to abortion and should have the right to make their own healthcare decisions.

“Congress should listen to the will of the American people and restore the protections of Roe as federal law,” he said.

The result followed a bitterly fought campaign that attracted nationwide attention, coming shortly after the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn the landmark 1973 Roe vs Wade ruling gave states the right to regulate abortion.

Analysts said the victory by the abortion rights movement in a conservative state, which has not voted for a Democratic presidential candidate since 1964, suggested that the public backlash to Supreme Court’s ruling might be stronger than expected.

It could also energise the abortion rights movement ahead of several other planned ballots buoy Democrats in the lead-up to November’s midterm elections, they added.

“A win in a red state will help the pro-choice movement in terms of raising funding and recruitment volunteers, as they look to upcoming votes in other states,” said Michael Smith, professor of politics at Emporia State University in Kansas.

He said Kansans might normally be relied on to elect Republicans at the state and national level, but did not endorse everything the party proposed owing to a libertarian streak and a distaste for big government.

“That could be taxes or proposals from the Democrats. But this vote suggests it may also apply to regulating one’s own body,” said Smith.

Neal Allen, a political analyst at Wichita State University, said the victory was significant and suggested Republicans would struggle to win planned referendums to restrict abortion in other states.

“If you can’t win a vote to restrict abortion in Kansas, then you can probably only win in a few states,” Allen said.

The proposed Value Them Both amendment would have overturned a 2019 ruling by the Kansas Supreme Court that found women had the right to make decisions about their bodies, including whether to terminate a pregnancy.

The amendment was promoted by conservative lawmakers and church groups who wanted to alter the state’s constitution to enable the legislature to pass laws to restrict abortion access.

Planned Parenthood, one of the largest funders of the campaign against the referendum, said the result meant Kansas would remain one of the only states in the region that safeguards abortion and a critical access point for women from neighbouring states with bans in place.

Video: Abortion law: Roe vs Wade and the US constitution

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2022-08-03 14:24:21Z
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