Beijing (AFP) – China expresses its “resolute opposition and strong condemnation” of Japan’s release of wastewater from the Fukushima nuclear plant — accusing them of “transferring the risk to the whole world”. China banned all Japanese seafood imports despite Japan insisting the water is treated and harmless, a position backed by UN atomic watchdog, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).
Saint Petersburg (AFP) – A crowd gathers in front of the “PMC Wagner Centre” in Saint Petersburg to pay tribute to Yevgeny Prigozhin, head of the Wagner mercenary group. According to Russian officials, Prigozhin was on board a plane that crashed north-west of the capital Moscow on August 23, leaving no survivors — the crash comes two months after he launched a short-lived rebellion against President Vladimir Putin.
Kuala Lumpur (AFP) – Two giant pandas loaned to Malaysia from China celebrated their 17th birthday at the National Zoo in Kuala Lumpur on Wednesday. The pandas, named Fu Wa and Feng Yi, were fed a feast of fruits in their enclosure during a birthday ceremony organised by the China Cultural Centre in Kuala Lumpur.
Shinchimachi (Japan) (AFP) – While many Fukushima fishermen are reluctant to talk about the release of treated cooling water from the nearby nuclear power plant into the Pacific, Haruo Ono speaks openly: “Nothing about the water release is beneficial to us. There is no advantage for us. None. It’s all detrimental”, he says.
New York (AFP) – Supporters join SAG-AFTRA and Writers Guild of America members as they hold a “National Day of Solidarity” picket line outside the Amazon and HBO offices in New York. The Screen Actors Guild has been on strike since July 14, and the Writers Guild since May.
London (AFP) – Hong Kong activists Nathan Law and Christopher Mung are among Hong Kong’s most wanted after police in July announced bounties of HK$1 million ($128,000) on eight democratic activists living abroad. Living in Britain, the two are accused under a sweeping national security law that Beijing imposed on the city to quell dissent following massive 2019 protests, with the public encouraged to pass on information that could lead to their arrests.
Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant (Japan) (AFP) – A small group of protesters gather near the Fukushima Daiichi power plant as the release of the wastewater into the Pacific Ocean is set to begin. IMAGES
Athens (AFP) – Images shot from the center of the Greek capital show fires on hills overlooking Athens as firefighters struggle to contain uncontrolled fires throughout the country for a fifth day. IMAGES
Idlib (Syria) (AFP) – Two civilians were killed in a Russian air strike on an abandoned water pumping station in Syria’s rebel-held northwest village of Ain Shib. The strike comes amid a recent uptick in attacks by Russia, a key ally of Damascus.
Bengaluru (India) (AFP) – India’s lunar spacecraft lands safely near the Moon’s little-explored south pole, sparking wild celebrations and applause among technicians guiding the mission. India has become the first nation to land a spacecraft, the Chandrayaan-3, on the Moon’s south pole. Prime Minister Narendra Modi joined the celebrations via live broadcast from the sidelines of the BRICS diplomatic summit in South Africa. This was a historic triumph for the world’s most populous nation and its ambitious, cut-price space programme.
