⚡️IAEA: Grossi launches consultations on protection zone at Zaporozhye NPP

Rafael Grossi, the director general of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), has begun consultations on the establishment of a nuclear safety and security protection zone at the Zaporozhye nuclear power plant (ZNPP) due to multiple shelling of the facility, the IAEA said on Wednesday.

"Yesterday, Director General @rafaelmgrossi recommended the urgent establishment of a Nuclear Safety and Security Protection Zone at the #ZNPP, and is having consultations aimed at implementing this plan," the agency said on Twitter.

The IAEA noted that the recent shelling has damaged a backup power line between the plant and a nearby thermal power station, "further underlining significant nuclear safety risks at the facility."

⚡️ Agreements worth $54 bln signed at Eastern Economic Forum - Russian Deputy Prime Minister

More than 7,000 guests took part in the Eastern Economic Forum (EEF), agreements worth a record 3.255 trillion rubles ($54 billion) were signed, Russian Deputy Prime Minister Yury Trutnev said.

"This is the first such post-COVID forum attended by more than 7,000 guests. Agreements worth overall 3.255 trillion have been signed. This is also a record," Trutnev told reporters, summing up the forum.

Subscribe to @SputnikInt

🗣 Biden to push the “end cancer as we know it.”

President Joe Biden next week will highlight his plans for drastically reducing cancer deaths and boosting treatments for the disease in what he has called “this generation’s moonshot,” the White House announced Wednesday.

The issue is personal for Biden, whose son Beau Biden died in 2015 of brain cancer. Biden launched the cancer moonshot the following year when serving as President Barack Obama’s vice president.

In February, the administration set more ambitious goals for the project, including cutting the rate of cancer deaths in half in the coming 25 years and improving treatments and quality of life for those with cancer and their caregivers.

Subscribe to @SputnikInt

🚨 BREAKING | Police: Gunman Launches Shooting Spree in Tennessee, at Least One Believed Dead

🔷 Police say the suspect is likely a 19-year-old black man who was driving a light blue Infiniti but may be currently in a gray Toyota SUV. His motives and the exact number of victims are not clear at the moment.

🔷 An armed and dangerous individual is currently roaming the streets of Memphis, Tennessee and shooting people, Memphis Police said on Wednesday.

🚨📢Latest Tennesse Shooting

🔹Shooter was identified as 19-year-old Ezekiel Kelly, and he remains at-large
🔹The city of Memphis has called on residents to stay indoors
🔹Unconfirmed reports suggest several shot
🔹Suspect was last seen inside a grey Toyota with an Arkansas license plate
🔹Motive unclear

Subscribe to @sputniklnt

‼️ JUST IN | Memphis Police Confirm Gunman on Shooting Spree Has Been Taken Into Custody

⚡️Moments before the Memphis Police Department confirmed the shooter was taken into custody. Local media reported the suspect had stolen a Dodge Challenger and momentarily engaged in a fire exchange with police after crashing the vehicle.

⚡️The shelter-in-place order was lifted for Memphis city.

‼️ Indonesia, Russia Working on Resumption of Direct Flights Between Countries - Ambassador

Russia and Indonesia are working on the resumption of direct flights between countries, Russian air carriers must have representative offices in Jakarta for operations, Indonesian Ambassador to Russia Jose Tavares has told Sputnik.

"[There is] the procedure to be followed. We have already been presented a request from airplanes that I've mentioned - Aeroflot, NordWind to Jakarta. Of course, there are certain requirements that they have to fulfill. One of the requirements I know is that they should open a small office in Jakarta for better communication... Even to Bali, but you have to have an office in Indonesia," Tavares said on the sidelines of the Eastern Economic Forum (EEF) in Vladivostok.

The ambassador noted that many air carriers from Russia are interested in direct flights between the countries. "Now, we under the process of considering the request from certain airlines, Russian airlines to Indonesia, like Aeroflot, NordWind, Azur Air. So, now the government is in the process of granting [permissions] at least. As far as I know, there is already permission for Azur Air to fly from Vladivostok to Bali," the ambassador added.

Subscribe to @SputnikInt

⚡️Moskalkova: Responsibility for the disclosure of personal data in Russia ‘Ridiculous’

Responsibility for the disclosure of personal data in the Russian Federation is ridiculous, it is necessary to strictly implement the developments of legislators, Tatyana Moskalkova, commissioner for Human Rights in the Russian Federation, said in an interview with Sputnik on the sidelines of the Eastern Economic Forum.

She noted that the law on personal data is being improved every year depending on the needs of society, but any data can be freely collected about a person, by simply buying a traffic police database or from clinics.

“This is an extremely dangerous phenomenon, and the developments that legislators are offering us today must be implemented very strictly in law enforcement practice. Today, responsibility is simply ridiculous for disclosing personal data,” Moskalkova explained.
She stressed that a person should be able to manage data about themselves, so that no one under any circumstances, without their consent, could give even reliable data about them to the public.

"On the other hand, we should probably learn to live in this reality and learn how to manage data about ourselves. At least, learn to read what is slipped to us for a signature, written in small handwriting in clinics, hospitals and other places," the ombudswoman said.

Subscribe to @SputnikInt

🚫 Seattle teachers on strike over pay

The first day of classes at Seattle Public Schools Wednesday was cancelled and teachers are on strike over issues that include pay, mental health support, and staffing ratios for special education and multilingual students.

High inflation, a national teacher shortage and the goodwill teachers earned from their pandemic-schooling efforts are all bolstering union efforts. In Seattle, the school district has offered pay raises of an additional 1% above the 5.5% cost-of-living increase set by state lawmakers, far less than the union says it wants.

The union also says the district’s proposals would make general education teachers more responsible for supporting multilingual students.

Subscribe to @SputnikInt

💭 The US Department of Defense on Thursday will announce the supply of $ 675Mln of weapons to Ukraine, including ammunition for the HIMARS multiple launch rocket systems, military vehicles and other equipment, according to the Washington Post, citing an unnamed American official

Subscribe to @SputnikInt

⚡️ U.S. President Biden to hold video call with representatives of the G7, NATO and the EU on further assistance to Ukraine on Thursday, Bloomberg reports

Follow our LIVE UPDATES on the Ukraine crisis

⚡️⚡️ At least four people killed, three injured in Memphis Wednesday shooting, police say

📹 Russia's MoD has released footage of Osa-AKM air defense missile system crews in combat action as part of the special military operation in Ukraine

Subscribe to @SputnikInt