Russian minister once tipped as Putin's successor killed on Arctic training exercise

Russia’s emergencies minister Yevgeny Zinichev - a close ally of Vladimir Putin - was killed today in the Arctic.

He is reported to have died while rescuing a fallen cameraman from water near Norilsk during large-scale exercises by armed forces and law enforcement agencies in polar regions.

Reports said Zinichev, 55, an army general who had been tipped as a possible successor to Putin, had fallen from a rock trying to save a cameraman.

The Ministry of Emergencies said: "We are sorry to inform you that while on duty saving a person's life in Norilsk during interagency exercises to protect the Arctic zone from emergencies…Yevgeny Zinichev was tragically killed.”

“He and the cameraman stood at the edge of a ledge,” said RT boss Margarita Simonyan.

https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/world-news/russian-minister-once-tipped-putins-24936711

https://americanmilitarynews.com/2021/09/top-russian-official-dies-after-jumping-off-cliff-to-save-film-director/

German ambassador to China dies less than two weeks into posting

Germany’s ambassador to China, Jan Hecker, has died suddenly at the age of 54, less than two weeks into his Beijing posting.

Hecker was a former foreign policy adviser to the German chancellor, Angela Merkel.

“We are deeply saddened and shocked to learn of the sudden death of the German ambassador to China,” a statement on the embassy’s website said. “Our hearts are with his family and his friends and colleagues at this time.”

A cause of death has not been given. Hecker began his posting in Beijing on 24 August, having arrived earlier that month with his wife and three children, according to German media. Frank Rückert, Hecker’s deputy, would take over his duties for the time being, Deutsche Welle reported.

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/sep/06/german-ambassador-to-china-dies-less-than-two-weeks-into-posting-jan-hecker

Mystery as birds keep dropping dead in Welsh town

An investigation has been launched after reports of numerous pigeons being found dead in Llanrwst.

Garry Lloyd Jones, who raced pigeons as a teenager, found three dead birds in his yard on Sunday, and said he’s spotted dead pigeons around the town in the past couple of weeks.

In a Facebook post, Mr Jones questioned whether the cause could be poison or avian flu, with other people in the Conwy Valley commenting they had also seen dead pigeons.

He has since reported the matter to Conwy Council and the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra).

Mr Jones, who was formerly mayor of Llanrwst, said: "I found another dead pigeon on top of a bin in town.

https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/16072277/mystery-as-birds-keep-dropping-dead-in-welsh-town/

>>14541126

>collective

sounds great…I'll be the treasurer

you can trust me 👍

Massachusetts too

>>14541163

https://www.leominsterchamp.com/story/lifestyle/nature-wildlife/2021/09/07/masswildlife-urges-residents-report-dead-birds-and-remove-feeders/5720497001/

what's up with the dead birds?

here's one from VA

Cause of bird deaths still unknown

Reports of sick birds have declined in recent weeks, but the Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources is asking residents to continue being cautious.

In late May, wildlife managers in multiple states, including Virginia, began receiving reports of sick and dying birds that were exhibiting eye issues, along with neurological symptoms. No definitive cause of illness or death have been determined. No human health or domestic livestock and poultry issues have been documented.

As of mid-August, reports of sick and dead birds have declined in many jurisdictions, and the DWR is lifting its previous recommendation to cease feeding birds in affected areas.

https://thefranklinnewspost.com/cause-of-bird-deaths-still-unknown/article_806ce5b2-0c03-11ec-9ee4-2718afef075b.html