03 World

Chinese researchers charged with smuggling fungus into US– www.channelnewsasia.com

pgnewser June 5, 2025 0

Source Link
Excerpt:

WASHINGTON: Two Chinese scientists have been charged with allegedly smuggling a toxic fungus into the United States that they planned to research at an American university, the Justice Department said on Tuesday (Jun 4).

Yunqing Jian, 33, and Zunyong Liu, 34, are charged with conspiracy, smuggling, false statements, and visa fraud, the US Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Michigan said in a statement.

Jian is in US custody while Liu’s whereabouts are unknown.

The Justice Department said the pair conspired to smuggle a fungus called Fusarium graminearum into the US that causes “head blight”, a disease of wheat, barley, maize and rice.

Hong Kong Again Stifles Commemoration of Tiananmen Massacre– chinadigitaltimes.net

pgnewser June 5, 2025 0

Source Link
Excerpt:

This Wednesday, June 4 marks the 36th anniversary of the 1989 Tiananmen Massacre. Hongkongers had for decades commemorated the date with a large-scale vigil at Victoria Park, until the 2020 National Security Law made such public demonstrations subject to harsh judicial punishment. In the lead-up to this year’s anniversary, much like last year, Hong Kong authorities continued to restrict opportunities for publicly observing the date.

On Tuesday, reporters asked Hong Kong Chief Executive John Lee whether on June 4 residents could legally light candles or even show up to Causeway Bay, the area in which Victoria Park is located. Lee made no direct comment but stated, “Any activities held on any date must comply with the law.” Local media reported that people who were stopped outside Victoria Park on June 4 last year were called by the city’s police ahead of this year’s anniversary and asked about their plans. On Tuesday, performance artist Chan Mei-tung was stopped and searched by planclothes police in Causeway Bay while standing in front of a store chewing gum, and was later released. On that same date in 2022 and 2023, she was arrested outside the same store while peeling potatoes. Between 2020 and 2024, 82 people in Hong Kong were arrested for commemorating the Tiananmen Massacre around its anniversary, and among them 43 people were convicted and sentenced to a total of over 20 years in prison, according to a tally by Brian Kern.

From Tariffs to Taiwan: Trump Implements Deterrence Strategy in the Face of China’s Rise | The Gateway Pundit– www.thegatewaypundit.com

pgnewser June 5, 2025 0

Source Link
Excerpt:

President Trump’s renewed tariff war with China is escalating tensions far beyond trade policy. Despite a brief truce in May, Trump recently admitted that negotiating with Xi Jinping is “extremely hard,” and both sides have since accused each other of violating the agreement. As economic diplomacy unravels, the broader U.S.–China relationship grows more volatile, raising the risk that Beijing may abandon any remaining hopes for peaceful coexistence.

A conflict between the United States and China is becoming increasingly plausible, and perhaps even inevitable. Tensions in the Taiwan Strait have reached dangerous new heights, fueled by Beijing’s military modernization, its sharpened rhetoric, and its belief that Taiwan and the United States are edging closer to crossing red lines. While China still claims to prefer peaceful reunification, its rapid expansion of capabilities, including amphibious assault craft, cable-cutting tools, and joint-force interoperability, signals preparation for a military solution.

China’s greyzone operations around Taiwan, such as unannounced drills, airspace violations, and undersea cable sabotage, have become routine. This normalization of pressure steadily erodes the status quo and raises the risk of miscalculation or deliberate escalation. The shifting political climate in Taiwan under President Lai Ching-te, who has taken a hard stance against Chinese influence, and a more assertive posture from Washington have further narrowed the space for de-escalation.

Under Trump’s second term, the United States is gradually abandoning its long-held policy of strategic ambiguity. His administration has sharply increased arms sales to Taiwan, removed diplomatic language opposing Taiwanese independence, sent U.S. troops to train Taiwanese forces, and reaffirmed ties through legislation and senior-level visits. While aimed at strengthening deterrence, these steps may convince Beijing that time is running out to forcibly achieve unification before U.S. commitments harden into irreversible guarantees.

Trump Welcomes Germany’s New Leader to Oval Office– www.breitbart.com

pgnewser June 5, 2025 0

Source Link
Excerpt:

Merz arrives at White House for high-stakes Oval Office talk with President Donald Trump in the same format as recent clashes with Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky and South Africa’s Cyril Ramaphosa.

Update 11:59 ET — Joke at Germany’s expense 

President Trump says he’s happy about Germany spending more on defence, but jokingly citing the Second World War says that while he wants Germany to re-arm, he doesn’t want it to re-arm too much. This gets a smile out of Merz.

Germany’s military spending, which has been rock-bottom for many years, has long been a matter of contention with President Trump, who wants Europe to take on more responsibility for its own defence. As Trump himself has expressed, the contradiction between Germany’s historically low military spending and its position of Europe’s greatest economy had been too much to bear.

Germany has launched an emergency spending package to boost its armed forces but this tranche of funding is only due to run to 2027.

Trump Pushes to Restrict Harvard’s International Students From Entering U.S. – The New York Times– news.google.com

pgnewser June 5, 2025 0

Source Link
Excerpt:

  1. Trump Pushes to Restrict Harvard’s International Students From Entering U.S.  The New York Times
  2. Trump signs proclamation to suspend visas for new Harvard international students  CNN
  3. ENHANCING NATIONAL SECURITY BY ADDRESSING RISKS AT HARVARD UNIVERSITY  The White House (.gov)
  4. Trump Halts New Foreign Student Enrollment at Harvard  WSJ
  5. Trump banning foreigners from entering U.S. to study at Harvard  NBC Boston

Mexican Supreme Court remake: Ruling-party loyalists dominate the new bench– www.latimes.com

pgnewser June 5, 2025 0

Source Link
Excerpt:

MEXICO CITY — Judicial candidates closely linked to Mexico’s ruling party have swept every position on the nation’s newly transformed Supreme Court, according to final results released Wednesday from the controversial judicial vote.

The nine incoming justices on the high court have strong ties to the dominant Morena bloc headed by President Claudia Sheinbaum, and their election signals a radical shift in Mexico’s balance of power.

Among them is a new chief justice, Hugo Aguilar, who would become the country’s first top jurist of Indigenous origin since the legendary Benito Juárez, who also served as president, more than a century and a half ago.

Electoral regulators still must validate the vote, though that is viewed as a formality. The Supreme Court justices, along with almost 900 other newly elected federal jurists, are scheduled to take office Sept. 1.

Trump Warns Putin Plans to Retaliate Against Ukraine– time.com

pgnewser June 5, 2025 0

Source Link
Excerpt:

President Donald Trump said Wednesday that Vladimir Putin intends to retaliate “very strongly” against Ukraine for a surprise drone strike on Russian airfields over the weekend, a declaration that provoked alarm in Washington and abroad even as Trump touted his efforts to bring peace to the region.

The revelation came in a social media post shortly after Trump spoke with the Russian President for more than an hour by phone—a call he described as “a good conversation, but not a conversation that will lead to immediate peace.” In his statement, Trump appeared to accept Putin’s warning at face value and offered no indication that he had urged restraint.

“President Putin did say, and very strongly, that he will have to respond to the recent attack on the airfields,” Trump wrote on Truth Social, referring to Ukraine’s surprise drone strike that targeted five Russian airbases and damaged or destroyed at least 41 military aircraft, including strategic bombers. The Ukrainian operation, which spanned five time zones and caused an estimated $7 billion in damage, marked one of Kyiv’s boldest assaults deep inside Russian territory since the war began more than three years ago.

Mass shooting in Toronto: At least one dead, 5 hospitalised; probe on– timesofindia.indiatimes.com

pgnewser June 5, 2025 0

Source Link
Excerpt:

At least one person died and five others were injured on Tuesday night following a shooting in Lawrence Heights, Toronto.Toronto police and paramedics responded to reports of gunfire just after 8.30 pm (local time) near Flemington and Zachary Roads, in the area of Ranee Avenue and Allen Road. Police said one man was pronounced dead at the scene, while the other five were taken to hospital with gunshot wounds. Their injuries are unknown at the time.A command post has been set up in the Ranee Avenue and Flemington Road area as the investigation continues. Police have not released any information about possible suspects.Toronto mayor Olivia Chow said she is “disturbed” by the incident and confirmed her office is in contact with police. “I want to thank the first responders—Toronto police, fire, and paramedic services—for your work on a very busy and challenging scene,” she said.The area remains under a heavy police presence as officers work to gather more information.

South Korea’s new president vows to restart talks with North – National– globalnews.ca

pgnewser June 5, 2025 0

Source Link
Excerpt:

South Korea’s new President Lee Jae-myung vowed Wednesday to restart dormant talks with North Korea and bolster a trilateral partnership with the U.S. and Japan, as he laid out key policy goals for his single, five-year term.

Lee, who rose from childhood poverty to become South Korea’s leading liberal politician vowing to fight inequality and corruption, began his term earlier Wednesday, hours after winning a snap election that was triggered in April by the removal of then-President Yoon Suk Yeol over his ill-fated imposition of martial law late last year.

In his inaugural address at the National Assembly, Lee said that his government will deal with North Korean nuclear threats and its potential military aggressions with “strong deterrence” based on the South Korea-U.S. military alliance. But he said he would “open a communication channel with North Korea and establish peace on the Korean Peninsula through talks and cooperation.”

He said he’ll pursue pragmatic diplomacy with neighbouring countries and boost trilateral Seoul-Washington-Tokyo cooperation.

“Through pragmatic diplomacy based on national interests, we will turn the crisis posed by the major shift in global economic and security landscapes into an opportunity to maximize our national interests,” Lee said.

Pro-Palestine protesters in UK call for Israel arms embargo, sanctions | Israel-Palestine conflict News– www.aljazeera.com

pgnewser June 5, 2025 0

Source Link
Excerpt:

Rally is held as British PM Keir Starmer calls Israel’s actions ‘intolerable’, addressing lawmakers in Parliament.

Pro-Palestine campaigners have rallied against Israel’s punishing war on Gaza, gathering outside the British Parliament in London and demanding a full arms embargo and that hard-hitting sanctions be imposed on the Israeli government.

Wednesday’s march, organised by the Palestine Solidarity Campaign (PSC), came as British Prime Minister Keir Starmer took weekly questions from parliamentarians.

Thousands of protesters created a “Red Line for Palestine”, wearing red while encircling the building.

Starmer told Parliament that Israel’s actions in the besieged and bombarded enclave are “appalling” and “intolerable”.

“It is right to describe these days as dark,” Starmer said. “We have strongly opposed the expansion of Israeli military operations, and settler violence, and the blocking of humanitarian aid.”

Greta Thunberg joins Freedom Flotilla to Gaza as Israel monitors mission– www.foxnews.com

pgnewser June 5, 2025 0

Source Link
Excerpt:

Israel said that it will “act accordingly” to stop the Freedom Flotilla Coalition carrying climate activist Greta Thunberg, who is en route to the Gaza Strip.

Thunberg, 22, a Swedish eco-warrior, set sail this week aboard the Madleen hoisting a Palestinian flag with 11 other activists. It will try to reach the shores of the Gaza Strip to bring in some aid and raise awareness over the humanitarian crisis there.

“We are doing this because, no matter what odds we are against, we have to keep trying,” Thunberg said.

Greta Thunberg, with other activists from a human rights organization, meets with journalists in Catania, Italy. on Sunday ahead of their departure for the Mideast. (AP Photo/Salvatore Cavalli)

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) confirmed Wednesday that it was monitoring the flotilla.

“For this case as well, we are prepared,” IDF spokesman Brig. Gen. Effie Defrin told the Times of London. “We have gained experience in recent years, and we will act accordingly.”

 

Sir Keir Starmer blasts ‘appalling’ Gaza strikes and warns Netanyahu over deaths near food centres– www.thesun.co.uk

pgnewser June 5, 2025 0

Source Link
Excerpt:

SIR Keir Starmer said Israel’s recent military action in Gaza was appalling — as he again called for a ceasefire.

The PM said Benjamin Netanyahu’s approach was counterproductive, as he hinted more sanctions would be imposed.

It came after at least 27 Palestinians were killed in shootings near Gaza’s food distribution centres.

Britain has already suspended talks with Israel over a free trade deal.

Three MPs raised the situation at Prime Minister’s Questions yesterday.

Sir Keir said one MP was “absolutely right to describe these as dark days”.

And he went on: “Israel’s recent action is appalling and, in my view, counterproductive and intolerable.”

NATO summit to avoid Ukraine membership issue – AFP — RT World News– www.rt.com

pgnewser June 5, 2025 0

Source Link
Excerpt:

The bloc’s members are concerned that the topic could lead to a public rift between the EU and US, the agency’s sources have said

NATO leaders convening for a key summit this month will deliberately avoid discussing membership for Ukraine, AFP reported on Wednesday, citing sources. The bloc’s members are reportedly wary of raising the issue due to fears it could exacerbate tensions between the EU and US.

Members of the US-led military bloc are highly likely to “steer clear of its previous strong statements that Ukraine is on course to join the alliance” when the summit takes place in The Hague in late June, the agency said.

One diplomatic source told AFP that the final declaration is expected to omit any mention of Ukrainian membership to maintain unity among member states. “There will be nothing on that,” a NATO diplomat said. “My expectation is we will be absolutely silent.”

US President Donald Trump has expressed firm opposition to Ukraine’s bid to join NATO. In February, he suggested that Ukraine “can forget about NATO,” adding that Kiev’s bid was “probably the reason the whole thing started,” referring to the conflict with Russia.

Syria says Israeli attack on Deraa causes ‘significant’ losses | Syria’s War News– www.aljazeera.com

pgnewser June 5, 2025 0

Source Link
Excerpt:

Israeli military says it shelled targets in Syria in response to a pair of projectile launches.

Syria’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs has condemned an Israeli strike on the Syrian province of Deraa, saying that it caused “significant human and material losses”, the state news agency SANA reports.

The strike came after the Israeli military said that two projectiles had crossed from Syria towards Israel on Tuesday, and fell in open areas in the Israel-occupied Golan Heights, though the Syrian Foreign Ministry said these were “reports that have not been verified yet”.

The ministry reiterated that Syria has not and would not pose a threat to any party in the region.

It was not immediately clear who was responsible for the projectiles.