News
Brittney Griner Denied Appeal on 9-year Sentence in Russia
On Tuesday, a Russian court dismissed Brittney Griner’s appeal of her 9-year prison sentence for drug charges, bringing her closer to a high-stakes prisoner swap between Moscow and Washington.
The Olympic gold medalist and 8time all-star center for the WNBA’s Phoenix Mercury was convicted on Aug. 4 after police said they seized vape canisters carrying cannabis oil in her luggage at Moscow’s Sheremetyevo Airport.
Griner, 32, appeared via video link from a correctional colony outside the capital where she is being kept.
Griner admitted to having the CBD vape canisters in her suitcase during her trial but claimed she packed them accidentally in her rush to catch her trip and had no illegal intent.
Her defence team provided written declarations in which she stated that she had been prescribed cannabis to relieve chronic pain.
The 9-year sentence came close to Russia’s maximum of ten years, and Brittney Griner’s defenders contended that the punishment was disproportionate after his conviction.
In similar cases, they noted, defendants received an average sentence of around five years, with about a third given parole. While upholding the sentence, the court stated that Griner’s prison time would be revised to reflect her time in pre-trial detention.
One day in pre-trial custody will be counted as one and a half days in prison. Thus, she will still be sentenced to about eight years.
Griner’s lawyers, Maria Blagovolina and Alexander Boykov wrote in an email that they were “extremely dissatisfied” with the judgment since “the punishment is harsh and defies normal court practice.”
“Brittney Griner’s greatest concern is that she will not be swapped and will have to complete the remainder of her sentence in Russia,” they wrote. “She had hoped for today because every month, every day away from her family and friends is important to her.”
They said they needed to consult Brittney Griner about the following legal actions.
Griner’s detention in February happened at a moment when Moscow and Washington were at odds, just days before Russia sent soldiers into Ukraine. Griner returned to Russia to play for a Russian team during the summer of the WNBA.
Biden warns Russia that nuclear weapons would be a “bad mistake.”
President Joe Biden cautioned Russia on Tuesday that using a tactical nuclear weapon would be an “extremely grave error.” He also stated that the White House is in “continuous touch” with Russian authorities for Brittney Griner’s release. (Oct. 25)
According to US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, the decision is “another failure of justice, aggravating the unfairness of her confinement,” and “securing her release is our goal.”
President Biden told reporters that the state department is in “continuous touch” with Russian authorities over Brittney Griner and the other Americans jailed in Russia.
While there has been no movement in getting her back to the United States, Biden stated, “We are not stopping.”
Before her conviction, the US State Department proclaimed Griner to have been “wrongfully held,” an accusation that Russia has categorically denied.
US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan states that Biden “is willing to go to tremendous lengths and make difficult judgments to bring Americans home.”
WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert stated that the decision, “although regrettable, was not anticipated.” It’s time to put this case behind us and bring BG home.” According to the WNBA Players Association, the verdict “further validates that BG is not simply unfairly incarcerated — she is very certainly a hostage.”
Because the Biden administration is under increasing pressure to do more to bring Brittney Griner back home, Secretary of State Anthony Blinken revealed in July that the State Department had made a “substantial proposal” to bring Brittney Griner home, along with Paul Whelan, an American businessman serving a 16-years for espionage.
Blinken did not clarify, but AP and other news outlets have reported that Washington has offered to swap Brittney Griner and Whelan for Viktor Bout, an arms dealer known as the “merchant of death,” captured in Thailand, serving a 25-year term in the United States.
The White House stated that it has yet to get a constructive response to the offer from Russia.
Russian officials have refused to comment on the US plan and asked Washington to debate the topic privately rather than publicly. However, some Russian officials have stated that a deal is more feasible when all appeals have been exhausted.
In September, Biden met with the wife of Brittney Griner, Cherelle Griner, and her agent, Lindsay Colas.
Following the discussions, the White House stated that the president reiterated to the families of Brittney Griner and Paul his “continued commitment to working through all possible avenues to bring them home.
In April, the United States and Russia exchanged prisoners for the release of a Russian pilot, Konstantin Yaroshenko, who was convicted of a cocaine trafficking conspiracy; Moscow released US Marines veteran Trevor Reed.
Moscow has also advocated for releasing other Russians detained in the United States.
Alexander Vinnik, for example, has been accused of laundering billions through an illegal cryptocurrency exchange. Vinnik was apprehended in Greece in 2017 and extradited to the United States in August.
Last month, Vinnik’s French lawyer, Frederic Belot, informed the Russian publication Izvestia that his client wished to be involved in a future swap.
Another possible candidate, according to the publication, is Roman Seleznev, the son of a Russian legislator. In 2017, he was sentenced to 27 years in jail on charges related to a hacking and credit card fraud conspiracy.
The new head of the Army has stated that Britain must be prepared to fight a war within three years.
Gen Sir Roland Walker has issued a warning about a variety of risks in what he calls a “increasingly volatile” environment.
However, he stated that war was not inevitable and that the Army had “just enough time” to prepare to prevent conflict.
He stated that the Army’s fighting capacity would be doubled by 2027 and tripled by the end of the decade.
Gen Walker warned that the Britain was under threat from a “axis of upheaval” in his first speech as Prime Minister on Tuesday.
Among the primary concerns confronting the Britain in the next years, as noted by the general in a briefing, is an enraged Russia, which may seek vengeance on the West for helping Ukraine, regardless of who wins the war.
He stated: “It doesn’t matter how it finishes. I believe Russia will emerge from it weaker objectively – or completely – but still very, very dangerous and seeking some form of retaliation for what we have done to assist Ukraine.”
Britain’s Government Defence Review and Military Challenges
He also warned that China was determined to retake Taiwan, and Iran was likely to seek nuclear weapons.
He stated that the threats they posed may become particularly acute in the next three years, and that these countries had formed a “mutual transactional relationship” since the war in Ukraine, sharing weaponry and technology.
However, he stated that the path to conflict was not “inexorable” if the UK re-established credible land troops to assist its deterrent strategy for avoiding war.
In his speech, he described his force of slightly over 70,000 regular troops as a “medium-sized army” and made no direct call for additional resources or men.
However, he pushed the British Army to adapt swiftly, focussing on technology such as artificial intelligence and weaponry rather than numbers.
His ultimate goal is for the Army to be capable of destroying an opponent three times its size.
This would entail firing quicker and farther, he said, aided by lessons learnt from the Ukraine war.
The general’s speech at the Royal United Services Institute land warfare conference comes only one week after the government began a “root and branch” defence review to “take a fresh look” at the challenges facing the armed services.
Defence Secretary John Healey launched the assessment, describing the existing status of the armed forces as “hollowed-out” and stating that “procurement waste and neglected morale cannot continue”.
According to the most recent Ministry of Defence (MoD) numbers from April 2024, the Britain’s regular Army forces total 75,325 troops (excluding Gurkhas and volunteers).
That figure has been declining in recent years, as recruiting has failed to match retention. The previous Conservative administration lowered the planned headcount from 82,000 to 72,500 by 2025.
Members of the NATO military alliance have agreed to spend at least 2% of GDP on defence by 2024, but several countries are unlikely to fulfil this goal.
The Britain presently spends 2.3% of its GDP on defence. Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has previously stated that the defence review will include a “roadmap” for increasing this to 2.5%, however he has yet to provide a date for this promise.
Source: BBC
News
Katie Ledecky Hopes For Clean Races At Paris Olympics In The Aftermath Of The Chinese Doping Scandal
PARIS — Katie Ledecky is looking for clean Olympic races. On Wednesday, Hope had pretty much reached her limit.
The American swimmer hopes to add to her six gold medals as she competes in the 400, 800, and 1,500 meters at the Paris Games. Her program starts with the heavy 400 on Saturday, featuring Ariarne Titmus and Summer McIntosh.
Katie Ledecky | ESPN Image
Katie Ledecky Hopes For Clean Races At Paris Olympics In The Aftermath Of The Chinese Doping Scandal
The 27-year-old Katie is competing in her fourth Summer Olympics, but the first since a doping scandal involving almost two dozen Chinese swimmers who tested positive for a banned chemical before the Tokyo Games — yet were permitted to compete with no consequences. The controversy has raised serious worries regarding the effectiveness of anti-doping initiatives.
Katie Ledecky | Vogue Image
“I hope everyone here is going to be competing clean this week,” Ledecky claimed. “But what truly counts is, were they training cleanly? Hopefully this has been the case. Hopefully, there has been worldwide testing.”
The International Olympic Committee has expressed concern over the ongoing US investigation into possible doping by Chinese swimmers. While awarding the 2034 Winter Olympics to Salt Lake City on Wednesday, the IOC urged Utah officials to do whatever they could to stop the FBI investigation.
“I think everyone’s heard what the athletes think,” Katie added. “They seek transparency. They want more answers to the remaining questions. At this point, we are here to race. We are going to race whoever is in the lane next to us.
“We are not paid to conduct the tests, so we trust those who follow their regulations. That applies both today and in the future.
Katie Ledecky | ESPN Image
Katie Ledecky Hopes For Clean Races At Paris Olympics In The Aftermath Of The Chinese Doping Scandal
SOURCE | AP
As the summer holidays begin, London may experience an official heatwave with temperatures reaching up to 29 degrees Celsius.
The Met Office predicts a long period of sunny and dry weather for London after a soggy spring and summer.
After a cloudy day on Saturday, temperatures are expected to reach 27C on Sunday, with lots of sunlight.
On Monday and Tuesday, temperatures are forecast to peak at 29 degrees Celsius. Monday is forecast to offer more sunlight, while Tuesday may see some gloomy weather.
Temperatures are expected to remain in the high 20s next week, with lows of approximately 18C.
According to the Met Office, a heatwave is “an extended period of hot weather relative to the expected conditions of the area at that time of year, which may be accompanied by high humidity.”
In the United Kingdom, a heatwave is proclaimed when daily temperatures meet or surpass a certain level for at least three consecutive days.
In London, the heatwave threshold is 28 degrees Celsius.
The Met Office reported that the UK is experiencing hotter and wetter weather on average due to climate change.
The UK experienced its warmest May and April on record this year, despite damp and dismal conditions in many areas.
According to the Met Office’s State Of The UK Climate 2023 report published on Thursday, the UK experienced historic levels of extreme weather last year.
In the United Kingdom, 2023 was the second warmest year on record, bringing storms, flooding, strong heatwaves, and rising sea levels; only 2022 was warmer.
It was 0.8°C higher than the average from 1991 to 2020, and 1.66°C higher than the 1961 to 1990 average.
However, 2023 will be a “cool year” in comparison to 2100, based on the planet’s warming trajectory.
The government’s plan to adapt to the hazards presented by climate change is currently being challenged in the High Court by campaigners who allege the Tory administration’s July 2023 National Adaptation Programme (NAP) fails to adequately address 61 concerns.
Source: The Standard
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