The fast food giant still serving in Russia

Plus: Gunshots reported in Bangkok mall, and fact-checking Trump's claims

View this email online 3 October, 2023 Breaking News Gunshots have been heard at a luxury mall in Bangkok's city centre, Thai police say – get the latest. Sofia Lotto Persio Hello. A prominent US-Canadian fast food brand still operates hundreds of restaurant in Russia, despite promising to leave over the invasion of Ukraine. Indian authorities have raided the homes of prominent journalists. Meanwhile, in Washington, critics are bidding to oust the House Speaker, and in New York Nada Tawfik fact-checks Donald Trump's claims about his fraud trial. Finally, don't miss a funeral fit for a 128-year-old mummy, courtesy of the Pennsylvania city of Reading. Top of the agenda Burger King's Russia impasse RBI has a joint venture with three other partners in Russia. Credit: Getty Images Several Western companies said they would exit Russia following the country’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. But 18 months after pledging to do just that, Burger King's parent company Restaurant Brands International (RBI) is still open as usual. The company recognized from the start the challenges it would face in leaving the country. Its complex franchise agreement and 15% ownership share have meant local contractors can refuse to shut outlets. But RBI president David Shear had also suggested the company had got the ball rolling. Asked by the BBC about progress, a spokesperson for the Canadian-American company said the firm had no updates. The company was refusing new investment and supply chain support, and had not made any profits from Burger King in Russia since early 2022, the spokesperson added. Critics argue that’s just not good enough. • Competition check: McDonald's left the country, but its substitute looked suspiciously similar to the original. • Standing strong: European Union foreign ministers meeting in Kyiv have warned Russia not to count on "weariness" in Europe over support for Ukraine. • Meanwhile, in Ukraine: Kharkiv Mayor Ihor Terekhov has unveiled plans to build the country's first underground school. World headlines • Tiny timescale: The Nobel Prize in Physics rewarded experiments with light that capture "the shortest of moments". • Motion to vacate: US Congressman Matt Gaetz has submitted a bid to oust House Speaker Kevin McCarthy. No US Speaker has ever been ousted by such a move. (If you don’t know,here’s what the speaker does.) • Righting wrongs: A group of 67 women from Greenland are seeking compensation from Denmark over being involuntarily fitted with birth control devices in the 1960s. • Police raids: Indian authorities have searched the homes of several prominent journalists and authors as part of a probe into the funding of the NewsClick website. • Light up the sky: A lightning strike has caused a huge gas explosion at a food waste recycling plant in Oxfordshire - see the footage of the fireball. AT THE SCENE | Nairobi, Kenya Kenya approved to fight Haiti gangs The UN has backed Kenya's offer to lead a multinational security force in Haiti, in response to a plea from the Caribbean nation's prime minister for help restoring order. By Gloria Aradi & Pascal Fletcher Kenya wants to deploy an intervention force that will neutralise the armed gangs, protect civilians and bring about peace, security and order. Foreign Minister Alfred Mutua told the BBC that his country would also like to help Haiti rebuild vital infrastructure and establish a stable democratic government. Mr Mutua has in part portrayed this as an altruistic offer. "Haiti looked around and said: 'Kenya, please help us'. They did not ask any other countries. We have decided to do God's will and assist our brothers and sisters," Kenya's foreign minister said at a press conference. However, Mr Mutua told the BBC that the intervention in Haiti would raise Kenya's global profile, which could benefit the country. Read More Beyond the headlines Fact-checking Trump's claims Donald Trump gave a preview of his lawyers' expected arguments. Credit: Reuters Former President Donald Trump was largely subdued inside the New York courtroom where he's facing a civil fraud trial. But he had plenty to tell reporters beforehand. Read the claims Something different Banking on the future The "seed guardians" of Peru's Potato Park are on a mission to save our food staples. Read more And finally... The small city of Reading in Pennsylvania has held a funeral for a 128-year-old mummy, known as "Stoneman Willie." The man, a petty thief, had died of kidney failure in jail. His body had been accidentally mummified, and had since become a sort of local icon. Watch the elaborate parade given in his honor, as he was finally put to rest. Football Extra Newsletter Get all the latest news, insights and gossip from the Premier League. Sign up here Do you have suggestions for what we cover in BBC News Briefing? You can email me to let me know what you think. And why not forward it to friends? They can sign up here. While you're at it, add [email protected] to your contacts list and, if you're on Gmail, pop the email into your “Primary” tab for uninterrupted service. 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