RUSSIA WARNS US TO STAY AWAY FROM CRIMEA AND BLACK SEA COAST

Reuters  reports that the United States called on Russia to halt a military build-up on Ukraine’s border on Tuesday as Moscow, in words recalling the Cold War, said its “adversary” should keep US warships well away from annexed Crimea. U.S. President Joe Biden, in a phone call with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin, emphasised Washington’s unwavering commitment to Ukraine’s sovereignty and expressed concern over the Russian military build up, White House said. Biden also proposed a summit between the two leaders in a third country. As two US warships are due to arrive in the Black Sea this week Deputy Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov was quoted saying, We warn the United States that it will be better for them to stay far away from Crimea and our Black Sea coast. It will be for their own good, Ryabkov said, calling the U.S. deployment a provocation designed to test Russian nerves.

FEARS GROW AS CHINESE AIRCRAFT ENTER TAIWANESE AIRSPACE

The SUN reports that a fleet of Chinese nuke bombers and fighter jets have entered Taiwanese airspace in record numbers – as war fears continue to grow amid escalating conflicts with the US. It is the latest bold manoeuver in a series of increasingly aggressive actions from Beijing, as tensions continue to brew over US interference – who continue to deepen their ties with Taiwan. The Taiwanese government has become continuously frustrated after a spate of Chinese incursions in recent months, mostly concentrating on the southwestern sector of Taiwan’s air defence zone – that show no sign of slowing down. The most recent mission on Monday saw an impressive squadron of 14 J-16 and four J-10 fighter jets, accompanied by four H-6K bombers.The deadly troop of aircraft that are capable of carrying nuclear weapons were joined by two anti-submarine aircraft and an early warning aircraft, according to Taiwan’s defence ministry.

BIDEN WARNS GERMANY

The Express reports that Joe Biden has warned Germany he will “use all available levers” to stop the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline that Berlin hopes to operate with Russian state company Gazprom. Washington warned it is determined to use all available levers to prevent the completion of Nord Stream 2″ according to a spokesperson for Mr Biden. On Monday the US said it was not going to compromise on its determination to stop Germany from getting involved in the natural gas pipeline from Russia to the heart of the EU. Germany had hoped the new Biden administration would be more favourable than the Trump government was towards the pipeline project. Nord Stream 2 pipes from Russian natural gas fields to Europe are now close to 95 percent complete. However, the US said this project threatens the EU’s energy security and that it could be used as leverage by Moscow in the future.  Russia has by far the largest proven natural gas reserves in the world and Moscow hopes to gain both political power and financial profit from these reserves.

UK TOLD BY ARGENTINA NO MISSILE TESTS IN OUR WATERS

The Express reports that Argentina has lashed out at Britain over planned missile tests in the Falkland Islands – threatening to lodge a complaint with the United Nations against what it describes as an “unjustified show of force”. And the country has used the incident to push its sovereignty claim over the remote archipelago in the South Atlantic, which it refers to as the Malvinas. The Foreign Office last week informed Argentina of its plans to carry out military tests in the Falklands, Spanish news agency EFE reported. The alleged defensive condition of the British military base in the South Atlantic is not only totally unjustified, but also represents a threat to the entire region.  A further statement issued by Argentina’s Foreign Ministry added: Argentina rejects in the strongest terms the carrying out of military manoeuvres, and the launching of missiles in particular, in Argentine territory illegitimately occupied by the United Kingdom.

BREXIT ONE CAUSE OF RIOTS IN NORTHERN IRELAND SAYS MINISTER

From The Times: Brexit was a factor in the riots in Northern Ireland that left 88 police officers injured, the government has conceded. Brandon Lewis, the Northern Ireland secretary, said that the causes of the “unacceptable” violence were complex and multifaceted. But he told MPs that among them was the Northern Ireland protocol, which governs the province’s post-Brexit trading relationship with Great Britain and the EU, and which was signed off by Boris Johnson last year.  New obstacles to trade with Great Britain conflict with unionists’ core belief that Northern Ireland should be treated just as the other parts of the United Kingdom. Some fear that bringing Northern Ireland economically closer to the Republic of Ireland will help the cause of Irish unification.

RADIOACTIVE WATER TO BE DUMPED IN THE PACIFIC BY JAPAN

The Daily Star reports that despite international opposition and complaints from the fishing industry over a million metric tonnes of water contaminated with radioactive substances from the Fukushima nuclear disaster are set to be dumped in the Pacific Ocean, it was confirmed today. The water has been kept in around 1000 storage tanks at the disaster-struck nuclear power station for the past decade. But with rainfall and groundwater finding their way into the site, the size of Japan’s problem has steadily increased since the power station was damaged by the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami. The decision has for the past year been a matter of intense debate at Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO), the power station’s owners .Japanese prime minister Yoshihide Suga says releasing the contaminated water into the Pacific is the “most realistic” option.

‘EVER GIVEN’ COMPENSATION NOT PAID SAYS SUEZ CANAL TRUST

The Independent reports that Egypt has impounded the ‘Ever Given’ amid a financial dispute with the owners of the massive cargo vessel which blocked the Suez Canal last month. The hulking container ship will not be allowed to leave the country until a compensation amount has been settled on with the ship’s Japanese owner, Shoei Kisen Kaisha Ltd, said the authority which manages the waterway.  They did not confirm how much money the canal authority was seeking, however a judicial official said it was demanding at least 900 million dollars (£655 million). The compensation sum takes into account the salvage operation, costs of stalled canal traffic and lost transit fees for the week that the ‘Ever Given’ blocked the canal, authorities confirmed.

NOW JOHNSON AND JOHNSON DELAY JAB USE ACROSS EUROPE

The Guardian reports: The European commission is seeking urgent clarification from Johnson & Johnson after the company’s completely unexpected announcement that it has decided to delay the deployment of its coronavirus vaccine across Europe following concerns in the US about a small number of blood clots. The drug company said in a statement on Tuesday it had been reviewing these cases with European health authorities and had made the decision to proactively delay the rollout of our vaccine in Europe. A commission official told Reuters the company had confirmed at a meeting on Friday it would aim to deliver 55m doses to the EU as contracted by the end of June. The official said the commission was “in contact with the company” to get clarification on the decision.

SCRABBLE GOES WOKE

From the Telegraph: The owners of Scrabble have banned players from using “offensive” words, sparking a furious backlash from players who have accused the company of “virtue signalling”. The toy company Mattel, which owns the rights to the board game outside North America, has removed 400 derogatory terms from its official list of playable words.  Although Mattel has refused to publish the list, the game’s official word checker reveals that it includes racial slurs against those of black, Pakistani and Irish origin. However, David Webb, a British Scrabble grandmaster, accused Mattel of pandering to “wokeness”. The ruling – which follows a similar move by the American rights owner Hasbro – affects competition-level Scrabble, which is played by thousands of people at international tournaments.

NATIONAL TRUST GOES WOKE

From the Daily Mail: The National Trust has ordered all of its volunteers to undergo diversity training as the organisation continues its ‘woke’ rebrand. The heritage body is forcing everyone, including rangers who do not work with the public, to carry out the training as they return to work from lockdown. It has already caused friction among volunteers and led to several resignations, with one slamming the Trust’s new political ‘agenda’. A former volunteer said: ‘One is left to wonder how many potential volunteers will be put off by this policy, [and how many] existing volunteers will call it a day rather than subject themselves to examinations.’ The National Trust had previously been accused of ‘wokeism’ after it published a report into 93 historic houses’ links to slavery last September. A spokesperson for the National Trust said: ‘We listen to concerns and criticism and are in regular contact with supporter groups and are always interested in hearing constructive feedback.

AND FINALLY

From the London Evening Standard: A  pop-up pub has brought drinks to a Surrey care home after lockdown restrictions were eased on Monday. CHD Living’s Kings Lodge in Byfleet, Surrey, brought a mobile beer van, pool table, singer and stilt-walker to its residents on the day that pubs across England reopened for outdoor service.  Resident Colin Primrose, 87, said ‘the activities on Monday felt like a return to my younger days, I had a great afternoon playing pool with a pint’, and went on: ‘It’s been so long since I last had a beer, and it was lovely.’

 

 

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