Trash protests
Up to 3,000 protesters rallied in the northern city of Arkhangelsk against plans to take in Moscow’s trash and to demand the governor’s resignation.
The organizer of the demonstration against the 10.5 billion ruble ($160.7 million) landfill was arrested and fined.
Foreign possession
Two British citizens detained on suspicion of drug possession in central Moscow have been released on bail, a Moscow prison watchdog spokesman told Interfax.
English teachers Domian Osborne and Ian Evans were arrested after attempting to discard two bags of unidentified powder upon spotting a police patrol near the Chistiye Prudy metro station. Investigators identified the discarded substance as mephedrone, an illegal narcotic also known as bath salts.
Libyan standoff
Russia wants the political forces in Libya to find an agreement, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said, warning against foreign meddling during a visit to Cairo.
Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Bogdanov held a phone call on with eastern Libyan military commander Khalifa Haftar to reiterate Moscow's position that it supports a political solution to the country's crisis.
Cold case
Vladimir Barsukov (Kumarin), the jailed kingpin of the powerful Tambovskaya crime group, has been charged with the 1998 murder of lawmaker Galina Starovoitova, his lawyer has said.
Four people have been sentenced to prison time for taking part in Starovoitova’s shooting death inside her St. Petersburg apartment building, but the person who ordered the killing has never been found.
North of the meddle
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has issued a warning that Russia and other foreign players could interfere in the country’s upcoming parliamentary elections.
Trudeau’s remarks echo those made earlier by Foreign Minister Chrystia Freeland, who said she was “very concerned” Russia would interfere in the election this October.
Protective block
Police, the Federal Security Service (FSB) and the state financial watchdog could preemptively block bank transactions suspected of financing terrorism or drug trafficking without a court order, according to newly drafted rules.
The transactions could be blocked for up to 10 days, while the authorities would be required to inform the General Prosecutor’s Office of the action within 24 hours, Interfax reports.
Suspicious stains
Environmental authorities said they plan to test samples from the Moscow River after videos on social media showed light gray stains appearing next to cruise boats.
UFO sightings
A meteor-like object was caught on camera streaking across the sky before disappearing in the Siberian city of Krasnoyarsk.
In the Urals Federal District city of Samara, residents saw a mysterious flash and heard a loud clap in what amateur astronomers say could be a meteor.
Rammstein train
Video from a children’s park in the Siberian city of Omsk shows a heavy-metal loving kiddie train blasting the 1990s hard rock hit 'Du Hast' by the German band Rammstein, evidently taking a break from its miniature railway enthusiasts.
Includes reporting from Reuters.
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