Russian soldiers fighting on the front line in Ukraine are suffering, and with rising casualty rates, Putin is paying a high price for his decision to invade. The Russian Army moved into the Crimea in February 2014, and fighting began with Ukrainian forces in the Donbas that April. The casual factors that Putin has been successful in hiding until now are becoming readily apparent, and a peace recessions looks like it would probably result in Putin's forced military collapse. It is thought that the reasons Putin would not want a ceasefire are that it would confirm the values of the international order, which he loathes, and second, would make it difficult for him to expand his military objectives in fighting in Syria, where he supports President Assad.
From Renaissance ideals to Ebenezer Howard's Garden City, architects and urban planners have created some of the most famous cities with specific ideals in mind. The author mentions an 8th century Kyoto, which had a grid system modeled from China's Chang'an (modern-day Xi'an), long before Manhattan existed; a scaled-down version was made of Nara, the capital before it; the city had temples, shrines, and delicate gardens to the city's backdrop of mountains. 15-minute cities were polarizing in the UK due to their association with low-traffic neighborhoods; Blooming with parks, temples and huge statues, Ramesses II's Pi-Ramesses, was built on the banks of a now-dry branch of the Nile, but was little more than a lost city buried under Egyptian fields for 3,000 years. In the wake of Europe's Black Death, Renaissance idealists harked back to Roman and Greek settlements, developing the concept of the Ideal City. Architects such as Maverick Filarete named his pioneering, star-shaped prototype the Sforzinda. Lastly, urban planner Ebenezer Howard sought a way for normal working-class families to escape the city, leading to garden cities such as Letchworth and Welwyn Garden City that influenced the capital cities of New Delhi and Canberra.
Overnight missile strikes against Ukraine by Russia failed, with the Ukrainian military stating it had shot down 29 Russian cruise missiles out of 30. The strikes targeted areas including Kyiv and the southern city of Odessa. The National Security and Defence Council of Ukraine has described Kyiv as "Putin's relentless and unachievable target". The council also claimed that the fact the hypersonic missiles have been neutralised so easily served "to burst the nuclear bubble."
UK Chancellor Rishi Sunak has signed an agreement with his Japanese counterpart, Fumio Kishida, aimed at boosting defence, security, and cyber ties between the two countries. Key provisions include deploying a naval fleet to the Indo-Pacific, increasing UK troops in joint exercises, and partnering on semiconductors to reduce reliance on Beijing. The agreement reportedly signals understanding of the “systemic challenge China poses to our collective economic security and regional stability”. At a dinner at Mr Kishida’s favourite restaurant, Mr Sunak became the first British Prime Minister to visit Hiroshima, where he laid a wreath for those killed in the nuclear attack of 1945.
The world's most advanced democracies have gathered for the Group of Seven (G7) summit in Hiroshima, Japan, to discuss heavy sanctions against Russia, to prevent conflict with China and to pay homage to the costs of war. The summit is set to feature heavily on strategies to end Russia's aggression in Ukraine and cut Ukraine's overreliance on Russian energy exports. The G7 countries will discuss how to better trace diamonds to cut trade in the precious gems from Russia, and how best to discourage global investment in China, without alienating the country completely.
UK Chancellor Rishi Sunak has arrived in Tokyo, where he announced a new defence partnership with Japan and supported £18bn of private business deals. He will then join in the wider G7 talks with leaders from Canada, France, Germany, Italy, and the United States, where they will focus on strategy towards Russia and China, including the war in Ukraine. Sunak will visit the A-bomb dome ruin in Hiroshima to reflect on the nuclear devastation of World War II before returning to the UK.
US President Joe Biden's decision to prioritize Ireland and skip the coronation of King Charles III is no surprise, according to Tim Montgomerie in The Telegraph. He argues that Biden's attitude toward the UK has been sneering, arrogant and disrespectful, with deep roots in Ireland. Biden's animosity toward Brexit and adoration of the European Union also influence his treatment of Britain. Montgomerie concludes by saying that Biden is putting two fingers up to the monarchy, Great Britain, and its illustrious history and is no friend of the British people.
France is looking to establish reciprocal access agreements (RAA) with Japan after the two countries agreed earlier this month to accelerate discussions for a joint military exercise framework. Japan is seeking to enhance its defence ties amid concerns about China, including its pressure on Taiwan, freedom of navigation in the region and trade disputes. Japan has signed RAAs with Australia and the UK, which create frameworks to facilitate military cooperation and make foreign personnel and equipment entry easier for the visiting force. French defence minister Sebastien Lecornu said last month that Paris was hoping to agree RAAs with Japan to strengthen their military operability and exchanges. France has overseas territories in the Indo-Pacific region and stations armed forces there, while Japan has sought to strengthen defence ties with China's neighbours. The possibility of Japan and France advancing their partnership is viewed as having the potential to change the security dynamics of the Indo-Pacific.
The G7 group of industrialised nations have ensured that Ukraine will be provided with the necessary level of budget support until the early part of 2024 after leaders renewed their commitment to providing military and financial assistance. The G7 members are currently meeting in Hiroshima, Japan, with international pressures exerted over concerns including Russia’s activities in Ukraine and increasing international standing, and issues relating to China. The leaders stated they were engaging with other countries to prevent the flow of goods and technology into Russia through third parties, and sought to crack down on sanctions circumvention providing Russia a profit boost.
The National Portrait Gallery in London has undergone a £41.3m ($57.7m) redevelopment. Director Nicholas Cullinan, who took over the role in 2015, oversaw the project, which has included upgrades to facilities and accessibility, four new galleries, eight refurbished rooms, and more than 3,000 objects. The estate comprises about 4,000 paintings, sculptures and miniatures, and 8,500 works on paper, serving as both a repository for artistry and a record of British sitters throughout history. The gallery reopens to the public on 22 June. Attendance before the pandemic was 1.9 million visitors annually, and Cullinan hopes the new additions will attract a wider audience.
Princess Anne makes a visit to New Brunswick to celebrate the 175th anniversary of 8th Canadian Hussars, Princess Louise’s regiment. A former Olympic equestrian rider and sister of King Charles, Princess Anne was appointed as the regiment’s colonel-in-chief in 1972 and has maintained a close relationship to the unit ever since. Over the course of the weekend, she will take part in a commemorative concert, a parade and a gala dinner as well as meeting past and current regiment members.
My family came to Canada to get away from China's influence. It turns out that was no escape
CBC
23-05-19 08:00
Canada needs to establish a foreign agent registry and an independent commission to investigate foreign interference campaigns within its borders, writes Henry Chan in an opinion piece for CBC News. The U.S. is already using the tool to crack down on foreign interference leading to criminal charges against two US citizens accused of failing to register work done on behalf of China, while the UK is considering following suit. Chan notes that Canada must take action to protect its sovereignty and stand against foreign interference, including harassment and intimidation of its diaspora communities.
UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has issued a warning to Russian President Vladimir Putin, stating that Western allies, including the UK, are “not going away” and will support Ukraine's resistance against the invasion. Speaking at the G7 summit in Japan, Sunak said that the west was “steadfast” in its support of Ukraine and that Russia would “pay a price” as he announced new areas of sanctions, which include banning Russian diamonds and prohibiting imports of Russian copper, aluminum and nickel. Amid hopes that allies will follow the UK's lead, Sunak also said he is “hopeful and confident” that Britain's partner countries will impose similar sanctions, making them more effective and ensuring that Russia pays a price for its “illegal activity”.
Love in a Time of Hate by German author Florian Illies examines Europe's bohemian culture of sexual liberation in the 1930s, before the arrival of the Third Reich. As war trauma pushed a generation toward hedonism and polyamory, characters from Sartre to Anaïs Nin explored their sexual freedom, leading to tangled relationships. The book culminates with the emergence of Nazis, as emigration, penury and arrest became the norm. Drawing on a large selection of source material, Illies combines disparate historical strands into a three-volume magnum opus that reads like a pocket miscellany.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is reportedly planning to attend the G7 summit in Japan in order to gain strengthened support ahead of a planned counter-offensive in the ongoing conflict with Russia. Zelensky is expected to arrive in Hiroshima on Sunday, although his office has not yet confirmed the visit. The leaders of the G7 nations have renewed their condemnation of Russia and announced further sanctions. Zelensky has recently visited several European countries and made an unannounced visit to Saudi Arabia, where he urged Arab leaders to help facilitate the return of political prisoners in Russian-occupied territories.
Tesco's chairman John Allan will resign next month after allegations over his behavior risking becoming a "distraction." The decision follows several allegations over Allan's behaviour made in recent weeks, including accusations of inappropriate behaviour on four separate occasions, including an incident in which he was alleged to have touched the bottom of a senior Tesco employee; he was also accused of making inappropriate remarks to two other women on separate occasions between 2019 and 2022, and touching another woman's bottom. Allan denied all but one of the allegations, admitting only to having made comments about a worker's appearance in 2019, apologising for the action.
Australian television broadcaster and journalist Stan Grant, who is of Aboriginal descent, has left a flagship programme after receiving what he called “relentless” racist abuse following remarks regarding King Charles’s Coronation. During the Australian Broadcasting Corporation’s (ABC) coverage of the event, Grant commented on the “invasion” represented by the British Crown. His observations prompted viewer complaints including claims that the ABC’s commentary was not impartial. The Australian Monarchist League attacked the broadcaster for a lack of balance and respect. Grant’s comments also provoked racist vitriol on social media aimed at him and his family.
The US is set to send F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine to boost the country's defence against Russia, according to The Telegraph's daily podcast Ukraine: The Latest. The news comes as the Battle for Bakhmut continues and G7 leaders meet in Hiroshima. The leaders revealed they have reaffirmed their commitment to stand together against what they call “Russia's illegal, unjustifiable and unprovoked war of aggression against Ukraine”. The US has previously been reticent about sending warplanes to Ukraine.
Jim Brown, the former American football player turned Hollywood actor, has died at the age of 87. Brown was known for his activism, particularly regarding the civil rights cause during the 1950s and 1960s. He was instrumental in organising a 1967 meeting of black sports stars who supported Muhammad Ali’s stand against the Vietnam War. Brown appears in some 30 films, including reprises in TV series such as The A-Team, T.J. Hooker, and The Running Man, as well as Hollywood classics such as The Dirty Dozen and Ice Station Zebra. He was also listed as the NFL’s greatest player of the 20th century.
Harrison Ford returned for his last outing in the Indiana Jones series, on the condition that the character had an “equal relationship” with a woman and not simply be a rescuing love interest. He put this demand forward as one of several requirements, which The Dial of Destiny script had to meet for Ford, now 80, to reprise the role. In this film, that leading lady is Phoebe Waller-Bridge, the creator of Fleabag and Killing Eve, who plays Jones’s goddaughter. Addressing his character’s age was another stipulation made by Ford before agreeing to join the project.
