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France threatens retaliation if UK breaches Brexit deal

The British government has threatened to unilaterally extend again the customs “grace period”, which was set to end on June 30, to October on Irish Sea border checks, over which the EU has vowed retaliation…reports Asian Lite News.

The UK will face “retaliatory measures” if it refuses to respect engagements made regarding the Brexit deal, French Minister of State for European Affairs, Clement Beaune warned.

“(British Prime Minister) Boris Johnson thinks that you can sign deals with the Europeans, not respect them and Europe will not react. It is a test for Europe,” Xinhua news agency quoted Beaune as saying to the Europe 1 radio on Monday.

“I am telling the British people that commitments must be respected…and if not, we will take trade retaliatory measures.”

“We exclude nothing… We have enough to defend our interests, and we will do,” Beaume said when asked whether differences on the Northern Ireland Protocol, part of the Brexit deal, could evolve into a trade war between the European Union (EU) and Britain.

Under the Northern Ireland Protocol, which came into force on January 1, 2021, food products from Britain to the EU will have to enter through new border control posts at Northern Ireland’s ports.

Northern Ireland, as part of the UK, will continue to apply EU customs rules at its ports, to allow goods to flow into the Republic of Ireland, a member of the EU, and the rest of the bloc.

Such an arrangement led to the so-called Irish Sea border, an informal term for the new trade border between Northern Ireland and the other parts of Britain.

The British government has threatened to unilaterally extend again the customs “grace period”, which was set to end on June 30, to October on Irish Sea border checks, over which the EU has vowed retaliation.

“When you leave the European Union, you necessarily have a number of barriers,” said Beaune.

“I cannot tell Europeans that the British, via Northern Ireland, could export to us without any control of the products.

“Boris Johnson wants there to be no border between Northern Ireland and Britain, and we want to say ‘you made the choice of Brexit, you can’t have the butter and the money for butter’,” he added.

ALSO READ-Covid, Brexit impact on UK dreamers

READ MORE-UK, Ireland agree to maintain smooth post-Brexit trade

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-Top News Europe USA

Biden vows to lay down ‘red lines’ to Putin

Biden on Monday said that the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) treaty is rock solid and unshakable….reports Asian Lite News

US President Joe Biden and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin, will meet on Wednesday in Geneva.

Ahead of the meeting, President Biden said he would lay down “red lines” to President Putin at the, after rallying NATO allies to face up to challenges from Moscow and Beijing, media reported.

In a show of unity ahead of the meeting, President Biden on Monday said that the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) treaty is rock solid and unshakable.

He then called Putin a bright, tough and worthy adversary.

“The NATO treaty is rock solid and unshakable. It’s a sacred commitment,” Biden told reporters after meeting with allies at the headquarters of the 30-member military alliance that has long been focused on the threat posed by Russia.

“Putin is bright, he is tough and I have found that he is… a worthy adversary,” he said while hailing Putin.

Biden insisted: “I’m not looking for conflict with Russia, but that we will respond if Russia continues its harmful activities.”

Meanwhile, Russian presidential aide Yuri Ushakov said that the US side is likely to raise the situation around Russia’s jailed opposition activist Alexey Navalny at the upcoming top-level summit in Geneva, and Belarus may also be on the agenda,.

ALSO READ: Putin likens US behaviour to Soviet Union

“As I have told you, the presidents may raise any topic. You and I understand that the US side is likely to raise the issue [of Navalny]. We see many signals related to this topic, including from the United Kingdom and Brussels. Of course, they will raise this,” Ushakov told reporters, asked if the situation around Navalny will be on the agenda.

“The presidents may raise any issue, including Belarus. I do not rule out that the Americans can raise the issue, especially given that they discussed this with allies,” Ushakov continued.

The agenda of the upcoming negotiations between Putin and Biden, has been agreed on, while diplomats continue discussing the final documents, with some clarity expected by Tuesday evening, Russian presidential aide Yuri Ushakov said.

“Practically all the organizational parameters of the meeting have been agreed upon. The most important thing is that we have agreed on the agenda and even on the order of priority of the issues that the leaders will discuss,” Ushakov told reporters, emphasizing that no agreement on a joint press conference was reached.

“Only one issue remains uncoordinated: this is related to final documents or one final document of the summit. Our colleagues from the foreign ministry are discussing this with partners from the Department of State, there is still some time left,” the Kremlin aide noted, announcing that some clarity on the final documents could be expected by the evening of June 15. (with inputs from ANI/Sputnik)

ALSO READ: Putin hopes Biden less impulsive than Trump

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-Top News EU News Europe

Most of Italy now a Covid ‘white zone’

The only remaining Covid-19 regulations are social distancing and wearing mask both indoors and outdoors…reports Asian Lite News

Over half of Italy or about 40 million of the country’s 60 million inhabitants are now in the Covid-19 “white zone”, meaning that most restrictions in these regions have been lifted following a new ordinance issued by Health Minister Roberto Speranza.

The only remaining Covid-19 regulations are social distancing and wearing mask both indoors and outdoors, reports Xinhua news agency.

In the ordinance issued on June 12, the regions of Emilia-Romagna, Lazio (whose capital is Rome), Lombardy (whose capital is Milan), Piedmont, Puglia and the Autonomous Province di Trento can now join Abruzzo, Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Liguria, Molise, Sardinia, Umbria, and the Veneto whose capital is Venice, in the white zone.

According to the latest weekly Covid19 monitoring report issued on June 11 and data from the National Institute of Health (ISS), “the incidence (of viral transmission) continues to drop,” from 36 cases per 100,000 inhabitants on May 24-30 to 26 cases between May 31 and June 6.

“No region or autonomous province is above the critical threshold in terms of ICU or hospital bed occupancy,” the ordinance stated.

ALSO READ: flydubai resumes its operations to Italy

Italy’s seven remaining regions are in a yellow or low-risk zone, with some restrictions still in place, including a midnight to 5 a.m. curfew for people who have not been fully vaccinated.

Figures released on Monday by the Ministry of Health showed that there were a total of 907 new infections nationwide and 36 fatalities.

The overall caseload and death toll currently stood at 4,245,779 and 127,038, respectively.

In a bid to contain the second wave of the pandemic, Italy has been using a colour-coded system for Covid-19 situation in different regions in the country since late last year — white for almost zero risk, yellow for low risk, orange for medium risk, and red for high risk — with varying restrictions according to the level of virus transmission.

The new ordinance did not specify until when the latest regulations will remain in place.

ALSO READ: Italy marks 75th national day with low-key celebrations

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-Top News Europe USA

‘Russia might be weaker than it seems’

The US President is all set to meet Putin on June 16 in Geneva….reports Asian Lite News

Three days before the US-Russia Summit, President Joe Biden said that “autocrat” Vladimir Putin was right to say that relations were at their lowest point in years, media reported.

He also suggested that Russia might be weaker than it seemed and that Moscow had overreached in the Middle East, it was reported.

During the G7 summit in UK, Biden said that the world’s richest democracies now faced an existential contest with “autocrats” that would define the 21st Century, according to reports.

Biden was quoted as saying: “Autocrats have enormous power and they don’t have to answer to a public and the fact is that it may very well be if I respond in kind, as I will, that it doesn’t dissuade him – he wants to keep going.”

Russian President Vladmir Putin
ALSO READ: Putin hopes Biden less impulsive than Trump

The US President is all set to meet Putin on June 16 in Geneva.

According to reports, the meeting is expected to be a combative encounter after disputes over spying, hacking, election meddling, Ukraine, Belarus and human rights.

On Sunday, Putin said that the two countries need to engage in a constructive dialogue and establish mechanisms for interaction as there are areas in which Moscow and Washington can cooperate.

“[We need] to restore our personal contacts, relations, establish a direct dialogue, create really functioning mechanisms of interaction,” Putin said in an interview broadcast by the Smotrim.ru media outlet.

The president noted that the US side is well aware that there are a number of areas that are of mutual interest, such as strategic stability, regional conflicts, environmental protection measures, and climate.

“There are areas in which we can really work effectively,” Putin added

ALSO READ: Biden looks to rebuild NATO shaken by Trump

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-Top News Europe

Ireland mulls more travel curbs on Britain

Currently travellers from Britain must self-quarantine but can move freely once they obtain a negative COVID-19 test no less than five days after arrival…reports Asian Lite News.

The Irish government is planning to increase quarantine requirements for unvaccinated travellers from Britain, according to Foreign Minister Simon Coveney.

This latest move from the Irish government comes after it rising concerns over the Delta variant of COVID-19, according to reports.

Currently travellers from Britain must self-quarantine but can move freely once they obtain a negative COVID-19 test no less than five days after arrival.

Asked in an interview with RTE radio whether the measures to be considered by the government in the coming days would include a longer quarantine for British travellers, Coveney said: “Potentially, yes, particularly for people who aren’t vaccinated,” it was reported.

ALSO READ-Scotland, Ireland ease Covid curbs

READ MORE-UK, Ireland agree to maintain smooth post-Brexit trade

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-Top News Europe USA

Putin hopes Biden less impulsive than Trump

Putin hopes Biden less impulsive than Trump

Though he described relations with the United States as having “deteriorated to its lowest point in recent years,” Putin said he expects he can work with Biden….reports Asian Lite News

Russian President Vladimir Putin voiced hope Friday that US President Joe Biden will be less impulsive than his predecessor Donald Trump, ahead of his first summit with the new US leader.

In an interview with NBC News, Putin described Biden as a “career man” who has spent his life in politics.

Though he described relations with the United States as having “deteriorated to its lowest point in recent years,” Putin said he expects he can work with Biden.

“It is my great hope that, yes, there are some advantages, some disadvantages, but there will not be any impulse-based movements on behalf of the sitting US president,” he said, according to a translation by NBC News.

“I believe that former US president Trump is an extraordinary individual, talented individual… He is a colorful individual. You may like him or not. But he didn’t come from the US establishment,” Putin was quoted as saying.

Biden plans to raise a range of US complaints, including over purported Russian election interference and hacking, in the summit with Putin on Wednesday in Geneva at the end of the new president’s first foreign trip.

Putin has openly admitted that in the 2016 vote he supported Trump, who had voiced admiration for the Russian leader. At their first summit, Trump infamously appeared to accept Putin’s denials of election interference.

Biden has said he is under no illusions about Putin and has described him as “a killer” in light of a series of high-profile deaths including of Kremlin critic Boris Nemtsov.

Asked directly if he is “a killer,” Putin chuckled but did not give a yes or no answer.

“Over my tenure, I’ve gotten used to attacks from all kinds of angles and from all kinds of areas under all kinds of pretext and reasons and of different caliber and fierceness, and none of it surprises me,” he said, adding that the term “killer” was a “macho” term common in Hollywood.

Such discourse “is part of US political culture where it’s considered normal. By the way, not here, it is not considered normal here,” he said.

Putin also dismissed as “fake news” a report in the Washington Post that Russia is planning to supply Iran with an advanced satellite system that would allow it to track potential military targets.

“At the very least, I don’t know anything about this kind of thing,” the Russian leader said, speaking from the Kremlin. “It’s just nonsense garbage.”

According to interviewer Keir Simmons, Putin also denied any knowledge of cyberattacks on the United States, and called on Biden to strike a deal with Russia on cyberspace.

ALSO READ: Russia warned in Biden’s first speech in UK

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EU News Europe

French President slapped by man in crowd

French President Emmanuel Macron

The palace called it “an attempted slap”. According to media reports, two people were detained in connection with the incident….reports Asian Lite News

A man slapped French President Emmanuel Macron full in the face on Tuesday as the French leader was greeting people behind a fence during a visit to the Drome region in southeast France to discuss reopening of restaurants as the country eases out of lockdown measures.

The Elysee Palace confirmed the authenticity of a video circulating online in which Macron can be seen approaching a line of people, preparing to shake hands, when one person behind the barrier reaches out and slaps him, the dpa news agency reported.

French President Macron slapped while greeting crowd, 2 detained

The palace called it “an attempted slap”. According to media reports, two people were detained in connection with the incident.

As the president is slapped, the words “Down with Macron-ism” are shouted, the BBC reported.

In the video, Macron is swarmed by security personnel after the assault. It is not clear whether he was injured or what happened to the people behind the fence.

The palace said Macron continued with his visit after the incident.

French President Macron slapped while greeting crowd, 2 detained

Prime Minister Jean Castex told the National Assembly shortly afterwards that while democracy meant debate and legitimate disagreement, “it must never in any case mean violence, verbal aggression and even less physical attack”, the BBC reported.

Far-left leader Jean-Luc Melenchon tweeted his “solidarity with the President” immediately after the incident.

ALSO READ: France imposes quarantine on UK visitors

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-Top News Europe USA

‘NATO summit to send strong signal of trans-Atlantic unity’

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg
Biden is due to attend the June 14 meeting of leaders of NATO member states as part of his first foreign trip as President…reports Asian Lite News.

Next week’s NATO summit will send a strong signal of trans-Atlantic unity, Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said after meeting with US President Joe Biden at the White House.

“This summit will be a strong demonstration of trans-Atlantic unity of Europe and North America, because we are stronger and safer together in the more unpredictable world,” dpa news agency quoted Stoltenberg as saying on Monday.

Among the range of different challenges and threats to prepare for, Stoltenberg cited Russia, with its growing aggression toward its neighbours, and China as it invests in new military capabilities.

Biden is due to attend the June 14 meeting of leaders of NATO member states as part of his first foreign trip as President.

Stoltenberg said he was pleased to receive Biden in Brussels.

“A strong NATO is good for Europe, but it’s also good for the US, no other major power has so many friends and allies as the US has in NATO.”

White House Spokesperson Jen Psaki said that, during the meeting, Biden “expressed his strong commitment to working closely with Allies to build on NATO’s seven decades of success safeguarding trans-Atlantic security and democratic values”.

“The two leaders agreed on the importance of the NATO 2030 initiative to adapt the Alliance to meet the challenges of strategic competition and transnational threats, including climate change and cyberattacks.”

Under former President Donald Trump, relations between the US and many of its allies became strained.

Former US President Donald Trump

Biden has pledged to address this.

Stoltenberg also met US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin on Monday.

The issues they discussed included Afghanistan, where the official withdrawal of international troops has been underway for just over a month.

ALSO READ-NATO to continue support for Afghan forces after troop withdrawal

READ MORE-Erdogan warns US ahead of NATO summit

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-Top News COVID-19 Europe

Spain welcomes vaccinated visitors

Spain’s Minister of Health Carolina Darias tweeted on Saturday that “Spain is a safe destination and we are in a position to soon regain our world tourism leadership, something that is endorsed by the excellent vaccination data that places us closer to normality every day.”…reporrts Asian Lite News.

Spain on Monday ended restrictions on travellers from outside of the European Union (EU) and the Schengen travel area who have a certificate to prove they have fully completed their vaccination procedure 14 days before travel.

This follows the country’s earlier decision to lift restrictions on travellers from the UK from May 24 in an attempt to boost Spain’s tourism sector, the Xinhua news agency reported.

Spain’s Minister of Health Carolina Darias tweeted on Saturday that “Spain is a safe destination and we are in a position to soon regain our world tourism leadership, something that is endorsed by the excellent vaccination data that places us closer to normality every day.”

Under the new rules, those who come from countries or areas not included in the list of risk countries will have access to a quick control with the QR code obtained through SpTH (Spain Travel Health). Also, once the EU Covid Digital Certificate comes into force on July 1, holders of this document will also have access to this quick control.

Those who come from areas that are included in the list of countries at risk will have to undergo a random control, which will take into account their place of origin and the level of incidence, according to the government’s decision.

In the validation of the vaccination certificate, Spain will only accept the vaccines approved by the European Medicines Agency (EMA), as well as those recognised by the World Health Organization (WHO).

EMA covers Pfizer, Moderna, AstraZeneca, and Johnson & Johnson, and the World Health Organization adds China’s Sinopharm and Sinovac to the list. Unvaccinated minors aged 6 or under who are traveling with adults will also be allowed entry.

As of Monday, non-vaccinated visitors from the EU will be able to enter Spain with a negative antigen test instead of the previously requested negative PCR test, while cruise ships will once again be allowed to dock at Spanish ports.

According to the latest Ministry of Health data published on Friday, 19,038,135 Spaniards (40.1 per cent of the population) have received at least one dose of a vaccine, while 10,257,209 (21.6 per cent of the population) have received both doses or being given the single-shot Janssen vaccine.

ALSO READ-Covid infections surge in Spain

READ MORE-France, Germany, Spain reach new fighter jet deal

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-Top News EU News Europe

Belarus flights ban decision not political: EU Commission

EU President Ursula von der Leyen
On May 23, a Ryanair flight en route from Greece to Lithuania was grounded in Minsk over a bomb threat flagged by the Belarusian authorities, which turned out to be fake…reports Asian Lite News.

The European Commission does not believe that the decision of the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) to ban flights over Belarus was politically motivated, a commission spokesperson told Sputnik on Monday.

On Friday, the International Air Transport Association (IATA) criticized the EASA’s directive as “politicization of aviation safety” and urged it to reverse the ban.

“The only politicization of air traffic happened when Belarusian authorities forced down a European airplane under false pretext only to arrest the critical journalist Roman Protasevich and his partner Sofia Sapega. This attack also put at risk the safety of European citizens and planes and showed the complete disregard of Belarus authorities for international aviation rules and procedures,” the EC spokesperson said.

They also noted that Minsk’s decision to divert the plane was “an attack on democracy, an attack on freedom of expression and an attack on European sovereignty.”

According to the EC source, on June 2 the EASA decided to issue a safety directive calling on the EU member states to mandate their national carriers to avoid Belarus airspace in order to “reduce the potential risk to passengers and crews.”

“Safety of passengers remains the Commission’s highest priority and the key driver of the activities and the mission of EASA in providing safe air travel for EU citizens in Europe and worldwide,” they stressed.

On May 23, a Ryanair flight en route from Greece to Lithuania was grounded in Minsk over a bomb threat flagged by the Belarusian authorities, which turned out to be fake. In Minsk, one of the passengers, journalist Roman Protasevich, who is known to be the founder of Belarusian opposition Telegram channel Nexta, was detained along with Russian national Sofia Sapega. The incident prompted an outcry from the West. (ANI/Sputnik)

ALSO READ-Belarusian airlines banned from flying over EU

READ MORE-Russia, Belarus warned against threatening allies