Europe facing ‘most dangerous moment’ since Cold War
EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell told a joint news conference in Washington with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Europe is facing its most serious security threat since the Cold War. However, he stressed a diplomatic solution with Russia over Ukraine remains “possible”.
Diplomatic frenzy to find Ukraine solution
A number of summit meetings were held on Monday to try to find a peaceful solution to the crisis over Ukraine. French President Emmanuel Macron held high-stakes talks with President Vladimir Putin in Moscow, while German Chancellor Olaf Scholz met President Joe Biden in Washington. After a five-hour meeting with Putin, Macron will today be in Kiev to meet Ukraine’s President Zelensky. Later he will return to talk on the phone with the head of the Kremlin and then, in Berlin, where he will take stock with the Polish President Andrej Duda – whose country is the current president of the OSCE – and with Scholz, on the latter’s return from the USA.
‘Moscow and the West must find compromises’ – Putin
After talks with Macron, Russian President Putin said that Moscow would do its best to find compromises “that suit everyone” in the crisis over Ukraine, adding that there would be “no winners” if war breaks out on the European continent. He described the talks with Macron as “useful and substantive”, adding that some of Macron’s ideas for security in Europe were “realistic”. On his part, President Macron said he found points of convergence with Moscow.
Biden would ‘end’ Nord Stream 2 if Russia invades
President Biden told a joint news conference with Chancellor Scholz that he would “bring an end” to the disputed Nord Stream 2 pipeline built to bring Russian gas to Europe, if Moscow invades Ukraine. He declined to elaborate on how he could make such a promise when Germany controls the pipeline. Scholz said Germany and the US have been working closely together to ensure sanctions can be imposed quickly on Russia in the event of an attack. Meanwhile, Blinken on Monday said the United States and the European Union were working to protect European energy supplies against shocks stemming from the Ukraine crisis.
World must work to tackle plastic ocean threat – WWF
Plastic has infiltrated all parts of the ocean and is now found “in the smallest plankton up to the largest whale” wildlife group WWF said on Tuesday, calling for urgent efforts to create an international treaty on plastics. There is no international agreement in place to address the problem, although delegates meeting in Nairobi for a UN environment meeting this month are expected to launch talks on a worldwide plastics treaty.
NASA chooses Lockheed to bring Mars samples
NASA has chosen Lockheed Martin for the Mars Ascent Vehicle, “a small and light rocket” that will bring the first rocks, sediments and the first samples from Mars to Earth. Destined to become the first missile launched from another planet, the vehicle is a crucial element in the campaign to return the samples collected by Perseverance on Mars to Earth.
Matrix sue Warner over HBO launch
The co-producer of ‘The Matrix Resurrections’ has filed a law suit against Warner Bros for launching the film simultaneously on HBO Max and in theatres. In his opinion, this is in violation of the contract and capable of damaging the performance of the film at the box-office. Warner Bros had also decided to postpone the launch of ‘The Matrix Resurrections’ from 2021 to 2022 in an effort to help HBO Max attract more subscribers.
Woman found dead after two years
She had been dead for at least two years, alone, in the house, sitting on the chair, but no one noticed it until Italian firefighters found her by chance, alerted because some trees were unsafe in the garden. It happened in Como and an investigation was opened even if it seems certain that she was a victim of loneliness. Marinella Beretta was 70 years old and had no family or relatives. She had sold the house and kept the usufruct. It was the new owner, called by the neighbours for the unsafe trees, who called the fire brigade who, in turn, found the mummified woman on the chair in the kitchen. Neighbours confirmed they hadn’t seen her in years, at least since September 2019.
Airline offers private flights for high-altitude sex
Flights depart from Las Vegas and last between 45 and 90 minutes. The couples, boarding the small aircraft, find two mattresses, pillows and red satin sheets. The pilot cannot see anything, thanks to a curtain that separates the passenger area, nor hear, thanks to a pair of ear muffs. To enter the “Mile High Club”, using the services of Love Cloud, $995 (€870) are enough. “Come up with a smile on your face and come down with an even broader smile,” explained company founder Andy Johnson, adding, “Let’s help people not get divorced.” The US company also offers less hot alternatives such as romantic dinners at high altitude or weddings celebrated in the clouds.
Beijing: Mayer wins alpine skiing in 3 Olympics
Austrian Matthias Mayer is the first skier to win gold in alpine skiing in three consecutive Olympics, after having conquered the Super G in Yanqing with a clean and authoritative performance. Mayer, who took downhill gold in Sochi in 2014 and the Super G in PyeongChang in 2018, tamed ‘The Rock’, the Beijing 2022 track, in 1:19.94 with American Ryan Cochran-Siegle Norwegian Aleksander Aamodt Kilde following.
Senegal’s football team gets hero’s welcome
Senegal’s football team have been given a hero’s welcome upon their return home after winning the Africa Cup of Nations for the first time, by beating Egypt 4-2 on penalties on Sunday. Tens of thousands of ecstatic revellers celebrated the players’ return to Dakar, sitting on top of cars and dancing in the capital’s streets. President Macky Sall was among those greeting the team at the airport. The authorities declared Monday a national holiday.
