TORONTO, 23 January 2022, (TON): Authorities said “two Canadians died and a third was wounded in a gun battle in the Mexican vacation resort of Cancun.”

The fight broke out at the Xcaret hotel complex when a Canadian man opened fire at three compatriots.

Mexican officials quoted Canadian authorities as saying the people involved in the gunfight apparently guests at the hotel, held criminal records for theft, drugs and weapons possession.

Lucio Hernandez, a public safety official in Quintana Roo state, which includes Cancun, said the shoot-out began after an argument among the Canadians.

Violence linked to drug trafficking has been a scourge for Mexico’s Caribbean coast for years.

KYIV, 23 January 2022, (TON): The U.S. Embassy said “the first shipment of the United States' $200 million security support package for Ukraine arrived in Kyiv.”

The delivery followed U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken's visit to Kyiv this week amid concerns from Kyiv and its Western allies over tens of thousands of Russian troops amassed at the border with Ukraine. Russia denies planning a new military offensive.

Washington approved the $200 million package in December.

It said on Facebook "the United States will continue providing such assistance to support Ukraine's Armed Forces in their ongoing effort to defend Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity against Russian aggression.”

BRUSSELS, 23 January 2022, (TON): The threat of a Russian invasion of Ukraine has sent NATO countries scrambling to provide military support to Kyiv.

In recent weeks, Spain, France, Estonia, the United Kingdom and the U.S. among others have provided varying kinds of military support to Ukraine in anticipation of Russian aggression.

NATO is under no treaty’s obligation to defend Ukraine because the ex-Soviet country is not a member of the alliance, but the group has made clear that it stands with Kyiv and has called on Moscow to de-escalate tensions.

Some military movements appear to be posturing, aimed at deterring Russia from any aggressive actions, but other steps appear to be prepared for a serious conflict.

Either way, experts say, the assistance could show Russian President Vladimir Putin that the cost of an invasion of Ukraine is too great. 

“There’s clearly a sense that the military support provided to Ukraine would help Ukraine raise the cost to Russia of military aggression,” said former U.S. Ambassador William Courtney, a senior fellow at RAND Corporation.

LONDON: Foreign Secretary Liz Truss has launched a new scheme with the Premier of South Australia, Steven Marshall, to boost UK-Australia industries of the future.

It is the first state level agreement between the UK and Australia, and will deepen ties with South Australia in industries such as space, cyber and green technologies.

South Australia is the home of naval shipbuilding and advanced manufacturing, including BAE Hunter class frigates and for AUKUS submarines.

The agreement, signed by Truss on a four-day visit to Australia, will maximise the benefits such as strategic collaboration on future industries; increase cultural ties; and build on trade and investment opportunities arising from the recently signed free trade agreement between the UK and Australia.

The FTA was signed in December 2021 and once ratified it is expected to stimulate new trade worth £10.4bn.

Foreign Secretary, Liz Truss said “Our ambitious new initiative with South Australia will boost export opportunities and unblock barriers for British and Australian businesses. It will support jobs, create opportunities, boost supply chains and drive economic growth.”

NEW YORK, 23 January 2022, (TON): The United Nations said that it is investigating the alleged killing of dozens of people in the Central African Republic last week by CAR forces and mercenaries of the Russian private military company Wagner.

More than 30 civilians were reportedly killed, some by stray bullets, in the January 16-17 operation near the town of Bria that targeted the Union for Peace rebel group, according to UN officials speaking anonymously.

UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric said that the UN mission known as MINUSCA in the country received reports of the incident, involving CAR troops and “other security personnel.”

Dujarric said “We are currently confirming the number of casualties and displacement.”

He said that MINUSCA had dispatched a human rights team accompanied by security personnel to the incident area, and that it “continues to assess the situation, ensuring necessary measures to be taken to protect civilians.”

A military source in the country suggested the fighting could still be ongoing. “Central African forces and the Russians are committing a massacre,” the source told AFP, declining to be identified.

The person said “There have been summary executions and we are talking about 50 deaths.”

LONDON, 23 January 2022, (TON): The British Foreign Office recommended that citizens of the United Kingdom refrain from traveling to Ukraine unless absolutely necessary. Updated recommendations were published on Saturday on the website of the British department.

The document says “the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Commonwealth Affairs and International Development recommends not to make any trips to the Luhansk region, Donetsk region and Crimea (the British government does not recognize the annexation of Crimea to the Russian Federation – TASS note. regions of Ukraine unless absolutely necessary. British citizens are advised to notify [consular services] of their stay on the territory of Ukraine.”

The department warned of the likelihood of “rapid developments in Ukraine” in connection with the continuing “uncertainty about Russia’s intentions.”

British citizens are advised to remain vigilant, follow the news closely and be aware of the possibility that they may need to urgently change plans and leave the country.

The ministry said “in the event of a resumption of hostilities anywhere in Ukraine, the ability of the British Embassy in Kiev to provide consular assistance will be severely limited.”

Recently, in Western countries, as well as in Kiev, there have been statements about a possible Russian invasion of Ukraine.

BERLIN, 23 January 2022, (TON): The leadership of the German Ministry of Defense ex-pressed incomprehension in connection with the speech of the Commander of the Naval Forces, Vice Admiral Kai-Ahim Schoenbach at a conference in India and called him for an ex-planatory conversation.

This was announced on Saturday on its website by the magazine Der Spiegel, citing sources in the Cabinet.

The publication writes that the officer will have to report to the Inspector General of the Armed Forces of Germany, Eberhard Zorn. The meeting is scheduled for Monday. This was decided during a special videoconference initiated by Defense Minister Christine Lambrecht on Saturday morning.

The magazine notes that Schönbach’s words “seriously angered representatives of the German Defense Ministry and the Foreign Ministry.”

Schönbach spoke at the Institute for Defense Research and Analysis. Manohara Parrikara (IDSA). In particular, he expressed the opinion that Crimea “will never return” to Ukraine.

KIEV, 23 January 2022, (TON): The press service of the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry said “the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine summoned the German Ambassador Anka Feldhusen and expressed deep disappointment due to the position of the German government regarding the failure to provide defense weapons to Kiev.”

Earlier, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmitry Kuleba said that Germany ‘s recent statements about the impossibility of transferring defense weapons to Ukraine, the futility of returning Crimea and the hesitation to disconnect Russia from SWIFT do not correspond to the level of relations between the countries.

“The Ambassador of the Federal Republic of Germany in Ukraine, Anka Feldhusen, was summoned to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine. The categorical unacceptability of the statements of the Commander of the German Naval Forces Kai-Achim Schönbach, in particular, that Crimea will never return to Ukraine and that our state cannot meet the criteria for membership in NATO.

The statement on the Foreign Ministry’s website reads “deep disappointment was also expressed at the position of the German government on not providing defense weapons to Ukraine.”

SRINAGAR, 23 January 2022, (TON): In Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir, Indian troops in their fresh act of state terrorism martyred two Kashmiri youth in South Kashmir’s Shopian district.

The troops martyred the youth during a cordon and search operation in the Kilbal area of the district. The operation continued till last reports came in.

NEW DELHI, 23 January 2022, (TON): Army's northern commander Lt Gen Y K Joshi said “the ‘Operation Snow Leopard' is still on with troops on alert and ready to meet any eventuality as the focus of disengagements in Ladakh continues to be through talks.”

Lt Gen Joshi, the General Officer-Commanding-in-Chief (GOC-in-C), was speaking at the northern command's investiture ceremony at its headquarters in Jammu and Kashmir, where the units involved in the Ladakh operation ran away with major share of the appreciation certificates.

He presented GOC-in-C's appreciation to 40 units and GOC-in-C's ‘Certificates of Appreciation' to 26 units for their ‘outstanding' and ‘distinguished' performance in the command theatre.

The GOC-in-C's Appreciation was given to units for their performance in Operation Meghdoot, Operation Rakshak, Operation Northern Borders, and other operations.

The GOC-in-C's Certificates of Appreciation were given to units involved in Operation Snow Leopard, which was launched after China refused to move back and restore status quo ante in eastern Ladakh.