Briefly

UNITED STATES

Clashes over shooting extend to third night

Protesters faced off with police for a third night on Tuesday in the Minnesota city of Minneapolis over the killing of a young black man shot by an officer, with more than 60 people arrested, law enforcement officials said. Tensions have soared over the Sunday police shooting of Daunte Wright near the city, in a community already on edge over the ongoing trial of an officer accused of killing another black man, George Floyd, last year. Riot police moved in to disperse a group of demonstrators estimated to number between 800 and 1,000 in Brooklyn Center, the suburb where Sunday's shooting took place. Officers deployed stun grenades while protesters responded by throwing objects including water bottles and bricks, law enforcement officials said.

EGYPT

Suez megaship owner haggles over release

The Japanese owner of a megaship seized after blocking the Suez Canal has said it is negotiating with Egyptian authorities after they demanded $900 million in compensation for its release. The 200,000-ton MV Ever Given got diagonally stuck in the narrow but crucial global trade artery in a sandstorm on March 23, triggering a mammoth six-day-long effort to dislodge it. Maritime data company Lloyd's List said the blockage by the vessel, longer than four football fields, held up an estimated $9.6 billion-worth of cargo between Asia and Europe each day it was stuck. Egypt also lost between $12 and $15 million in revenues for each day the waterway was closed, according to the canal authority. The MV Ever Given was later seized "due to its failure to pay $900 million" in compensation.

INDIA

Ganges pilgrims disregard virus surge

India's new coronavirus infections hit a record on Wednesday, as crowds of pilgrims gathered for a religious festival despite oxygen shortages and strict curbs in other areas. The country reported 184,372 cases in the last 24 hours, Health Ministry data showed, taking total infections to 13.9 million. Deaths rose by 1,027, to a total of 172,085. Still, hundreds of thousands of devout Hindus gathered to bathe in the Ganges River on Wednesday, the third key day of the weekslong Kumbh Mela－or pitcher festival. Sanjay Gunjyal, the inspector general of police at the festival, said around 650,000 people had bathed on Wednesday morning. There was little evidence of social distancing or mask-wearing, according to a witness.

UNITED KINGDOM

Police hop on trail of stolen giant rabbit

British police are seeking thieves who bagged the world's largest rabbit from his owner's garden. Darius, a Continental Giant rabbit, disappeared from his enclosure in a backyard in the village of Stoulton, England, over the weekend, the West Mercia Police force said. They did not elaborate on why they thought it was a theft instead of an escape. The force appealed for any information about or sightings of Darius, who is gray-brown and 129 centimeters long at full stretch. He holds the Guinness World Records citation for the world's longest rabbit. Rabbits of his type are known to weigh about 7 to 9 kilograms. Owner Annette Edwards has offered a $2,760 reward.

Agencies - Xinhua