The Guardian: A senior BBC journalist who is to be expelled from Russia has condemned “an increasingly repressive environment” for critical journalists in the country. Sarah Rainsford, whose visa is due to expire at the end of the month and will not be renewed, said her impending departure came in the context of “a massive deterioration in relations between Russia and the UK” and attacks on press freedom.
The Moscow Times: The BBC’s Moscow correspondent said Saturday she was told by the Russian authorities that she “can’t ever come back to Russia” after her visa was not renewed and she was effectively expelled from the country.
The Moscow Times: Russia on Saturday said the expulsion of BBC reporter Sarah Rainsford was “retaliation” for London denying accreditation to an unnamed Russian reporter and had nothing to do with Moscow’s alleged bid to muzzle the media.
The Moscow Times: Russia on Saturday reported 22,144 new coronavirus cases and a new pandemic record of 819 deaths.
RFE/RL: Heavy rains have triggered widespread flooding in southern Russia, forcing the evacuation of more than 1,500 people, officials say. Authorities in the Krasnodar region said on August 14 that more than 1,400 houses had been flooded following storms and heavy rains that swept the area this week. About 108,000 residents of 11 settlements were left without power.
