Morning headlines today- Nitto English
Ukraine tensions: Russia to begin military drills with Belarus
Russia and Belarus are due to start 10 days of joint military drills as concerns rise over the build-up of Russian forces on Ukraine’s borders.
Nato says the joint drills mark Russia’s biggest deployment to ex-Soviet Belarus, since the Cold War.
The US called the drills an “escalatory” action in the tensions over Ukraine.
Russia has repeatedly denied any plans to invade Ukraine despite amassing more than 100,000 troops at the border.
But some Western countries including the US have warned that a Russian attack could come at any time.
Diplomatic talks aimed at resolving the conflict are expected across Europe on Thursday.
In 2014 Russia annexed Ukraine’s southern Crimea peninsula. Since then there has been a long-running conflict in eastern Ukraine, where Russian-backed separatists control swathes of territory and at least 14,000 people have been killed.
Continue Reading: https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-60327930
Canadian truckers protesting in Ottawa appear set to stay
Ottawa, Canada – The sound of blaring truck horns has been replaced by revving engines in the Canadian capital, still blockaded by truckers who appear to be settling in for the long haul.
Between and around the trucks that have halted city traffic, protesters have erected tents, barbecues, bales of hay for warmth and comfort. Children in snowsuits played with large plastic blocks in what looked like a makeshift outdoor kindergarten.
Continue Reading: https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2022/2/9/canadian-truckers-protesting-in-ottawa-appear-set-to-stay
Trudeau slams ‘unacceptable’ protests as police warn truckers
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has hit out at protests by truckers around the country as “unacceptable”.
Speaking to parliament in Ottawa, he defended the Covid restrictions that have prompted truckers to converge on the nation’s capital.
Ottawa police meanwhile warned protesters could be arrested, and a conviction might cost them their jobs.
The protests in Ottawa and at two Canada-US border crossings have been going on for two weeks.
“Blockages, illegal demonstrations are unacceptable, and are negatively impacting businesses and manufacturers,” Mr Trudeau said on Wednesday.
“We must do everything to bring them to an end.”
Continue Reading: https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-60327794
Morning headlines today
UAE arms deals: What weapons is the Gulf state buying and why?
The recent attacks on the United Arab Emirates by Houthi missiles and drones have highlighted the vulnerability of city states with economies reliant on sprawling energy infrastructure, huge international hub airports and a largely expatriate workforce.
The UAE, part of the Saudi Arabia-led military coalition fighting the Houthis in Yemen, already has one of the most potent air defence systems in the region, relying mainly on American-made weapons like the older HAWK missile, the more capable Patriot PAC-3 missile and the THAAD air defence system which was used for the first time in combat this year, destroying a Houthi missile.
Continue Reading: https://www.aljazeera.com/features/2022/2/9/uae-arms-deals-what-weapons-is-the-gulf-state-buying-and-why
Morning headlines today
Karnataka hijab row: The woman who is the face of the fight to wear headscarf
Muskaan Khan has inadvertently become the face of resistance for young Indian Muslim women amid an escalating row over hijabs or headscarves.
In a video that has gone viral, the 19-year-old student can be seen entering her college as a mob of men approach her. Wearing saffron shawls – a colour associated with Hinduism and Hindu nationalist groups – they started shouting “Jai Shri Ram” or “victory to Lord Ram”.
As they continued to heckle her, Ms Khan, who was wearing a hijab and a mask over a long black gown, stood her ground – she shouted “Allahu Akbar” (God is great) in return. Soon, college authorities escorted her inside.
“All that I want is to stand by my rights and education,” she told the BBC from her home in Karnataka state’s Mandya city, where the video was shot.
“I have no problems with what they wear,” she said, adding people can wear saffron stoles or turbans to college, just like she wore the hijab.
Morning headlines today
Winter Olympics: Mikaela Shiffrin skis out as Petra Vlhova wins women’s slalom
American pre-Games favourite Mikaela Shiffrin questioned her Beijing 2022 future after failing to finish a second alpine skiing race in a row.
The 26-year-old double Olympic champion made another early mistake in the women’s slalom, two days after her shock exit from the giant slalom.
Asked if she would ski again at these Games, she replied: “I have some team-mates who are really fast and we have the athletes who can fill the spaces, so if I am going to ski out on the fifth gate, what’s the point?”
Shiffrin had come to Beijing planning to race in all five individual alpine events, with the next opportunity in Friday’s super G.
“I have never been in this position before and I don’t know how to handle it,” said Shiffrin, who had sat in disbelief at the side of the piste next to the netting with her skis off and head down.
“I just feel pretty low right now.”