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WORLD NEWS Saturday 6 auguSt 2022
Kremlin says Griner swap must be discussed without publicity

MOSCOW (AP) — The Antony Blinken spoke last continues in the public
Kremlin said Friday that it’s week to Russian Foreign domain,” Peskov said. He
open to talking about a Minister Sergey Lavrov, urg- said: “If we discuss any nu-
possible prisoner exchange ing him to accept a deal ances related to the issue
involving American basket- under which Griner and of exchange via media,
ball star Brittney Griner but Paul Whelan, an American no exchange will ever take
strongly warned Washing- jailed in Russia on espio- place.”
ton against publicizing the nage charges, would go People familiar with the
issue. free. U.S. proposal have said
Griner, a two-time U.S. Lavrov and Blinken were it envisions trading Griner
Olympic champion and an both in Cambodia on Fri- and Whelan for a notori-
eight-time all-star with the day for a meeting of the ous Russian arms trader,
WNBA’s Phoenix Mercury, Association of Southeast Viktor Bout. He is serving a
has been detained in Rus- Asian Nations. Blinken did 25-year sentence in the U.S.
sia since Feb. 17 after po- not even glance at his Rus- after being convicted of
lice at a Moscow airport sian counterpart as they conspiracy to kill U.S. citi-
said they found vape car- took their seats at an East WNBA star and two-time Olympic gold medalist Brittney Griner is zens and providing aid to a
tridges containing canna- Asia Summit. escorted from a court room ater a hearing, in Khimki just outside terrorist organization.
Moscow, Russia, Thursday, Aug. 4, 2022.
bis oil in her luggage. Lavrov told reporters that Associated Press The call between Blinken
A judge convicted the Blinken didn’t try to contact and Lavrov marked the
31-year-old athlete Thurs- him while they were attend- channel that Biden and the same point more harsh- highest-level known con-
day of drug possession and ing the ASEAN meeting. Russian President Vladimir ly, saying “the U.S. already tact between Washington
smuggling, and sentenced “We were separated by just Putin agreed to establish has made mistakes, trying and Moscow since Rus-
her to nine years in prison. one person at the discus- when they met in Geneva to solve such problems via sia sent troops into Ukraine
The politically charged sion table, but I didn’t feel in June 2021. ‘microphone diplomacy.’ more than five months ago,
case comes amid high his desire to catch me. My “If the Americans again try They are not solved that underlining the public pres-
tensions between Mos- buttons are all in place,” to engage in public diplo- way.” sure that the White House
cow and Washington over he said when asked about macy and make loud state- He, too, emphasized that has faced to get Griner re-
Russia’s military action in Washington’s statement ments about their intention any discussions on a pos- leased.
Ukraine. that Blinken would try to to take certain steps, it’s sible trade should be held Griner was arrested as she
Asked at the White House buttonhole Lavrov for a their business, I would even via the previously estab- was returning to play for a
Friday about the prospects quick interaction in Phnom say their problem,” Lavrov lished confidential chan- team in Russia, where she
of securing Griner’s release, Penh. said. “The Americans of- nels that Putin and Biden has competed since 2014.
President Joe Biden said: Lavrov said Moscow was ten have trouble observing agree to during last year’s Blinken said Friday that her
“I’m hopeful ... We’re work- “ready to discuss” a prison- agreements on calm and summit. conviction and sentence
ing hard.” er swap but that the topic professional work.” “Such mechanisms ex- “compounds the injustice
In an extraordinary move, should only be discussed In Moscow, Kremlin spokes- ist, but they will be thrown that has been done to
U.S. Secretary of State via a dedicated Russia-U.S. man Dmitry Peskov made into doubt if the discussion her.”q

France’s going through its most severe Glamping Aruba

drought ever, PM says Are you a Nature Lover?

Than Glamping Aruba is the right place to stay.
PARIS (AP) — French Prime many areas in France are our ecosystems and biodi-
Minister Elisabeth Borne going through a “historic versity,” the statement said.
warned that France is situation” as the country Weather forecasts suggest
facing its “most severe endures its third heatwave that the heat, which in-
drought” ever recorded this summer. creases evaporation and
and announced the ac- “The exceptional drought water needs, could con-
tivation of a government we are currently experi- tinue for the next 15 days,
crisis unit. encing is depriving many possibly making the situa-
Borne said in a written municipalities of water and tion even more worrying,
statement on Friday that is a tragedy for our farmers, the statement stressed.
The government’s crisis unit
will be in charge of moni-
toring the situation in the
hardest-hit areas and coor-
dinate measures like bring-
ing drinking water to some
places.
It will also monitor the im-
pact of the drought on
France’s energy produc-
tion, transport infrastructure
and agriculture.
French energy giant EDF
said on Friday it had to tem-
porarily cut power produc-
The fountains of Concorde plaza are empty in Paris, France, as tion at two of its nuclear
Europe is under an extreme heat wave on Wednesday, Aug. 3, plants which use river water
2022.
Associated Press to cool reactors.q