Back Story Newsletter
Good morning,
Britains P.M. Under Resignation Demands
Boris Johnson has always skated a bit too close to the truth, when it came to things like Brexit and the idea it would benefit Britain, where he was found to have torqued the facts so badly it was called a bucket of lies to win a general election.
But the latest revelations are more serious because he told the untruths to Parliament and that is not ok with the law or his political party the Conservatives.
Essentially while the nation was under Covid lockdown, and the Queen was mourning the loss of her husband, unable to have a proper funeral because of social distancing rules, Boris Johnson and his staff were partying at Number 10 Downing street the official residence.
There have been a number of staff parties, which are under official investigation, but the biggest revelations is one which took place on May 20, 2020.
Boris Johnson has admitted he attended the event but believed it was work related.
Now his former aid who has leaked to the media several of the scandals surrounding Johnson, says the P.M. was “warned about the event” but he let it go ahead anyway knowing it was a drinks party.
Outrage over the parties is huge in Britain, and growing numbers of Conservative lawmakers are demanding Boris Johnson needs to resign. Remember this is more than a few drinks, because people were being charged by police for gatherings, and relatives couldn’t visit dying relatives in hospitals.
Russia-Ukraine
All the signs from rhetoric from the Kremlin, to troop movements on the ground are threatening to Ukraine and worries are increasing Russia may attempt a further invasion of Ukraine.
Belarus’ brutal leader Lukashenko has announced that his country and its close ally Russia will stage joint military exercises near NATO’s eastern borders and Ukraine in February.
Dictator Lukashenko and his command staff disclosed details of the drills amid high tensions over Russia’s troop buildup near the border with Ukraine.
Meantime, Russia has been emptying out it’s Embassy calling home staff from its Embassy in Kyiv. It started on Jan 5th ahead of talks with the U.S. with wives and children of diplomats boarding a bus for Russia, 18 people in all.
Then another 30 Russians were called home from Kyiv, and the Russian consulate in Lviv.
Part of it might have been staged on the eve of the U.S. discussions where Russia again demanded NATO close its doors to Ukraine membership in the military alliance. But it has raised concerns Russia will attempt military interference in Ukraine which pushes past its annexation of Crimea, and support of rebels in eastern Ukraine.
Ukraine
Former Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko decided to risk internal charges of treason, and return home to Kiev from Poland Monday. He was met at the airport by scenes of chaos and thousands of supporters.
The last thing Ukraine needs now is internal divisions, which threaten to tear the country apart politically, but thats exactly what is happening as Poroshenko told the crowd the current President Volodymyr Zelenskiy was guilty of "betrayal" of the country, and claiming he had returned to defend Ukraine from a Russian invasion.
Ukrainian politics is a blood sport, and incoming politicians often use their positions to chase down their opposition alleging corruption and state betrayal. It’s difficult to know the truth and the process of infighting does little to unify the country badly in need of a leader.
Texas Hostage Taking
British counter terrorism police have taken two teenagers into custody in connection with the weekend hostage taking in a synagogue near Dallas, Texas.
The two are connected to a British national named Malik Faisal Akram, who was demanding the release of a Pakistani scientist serving 86 years in prison on terrorism offenses.
Akram was shot after the hostages managed to escape and police entered the synagogue grounds.
China Olympics
China is experiencing an alarming sudden spread of Omicron variant as it has infected at least 200 people and is spreading quickly in several centres just 3 weeks before the start of the Olympics.
So China which lock downs millions of people to contain the spread of Covid outbreaks has now announced it will not only ban outsiders from attending the games, but now also domestic ticket sales will be cancelled.
Essentially a no spectator Olympics.
Here’s the larger problem - Omicron has evaded track and trace systems spreading like wildfire in other countries. It is very likely China will not be able to contain this outbreak and 1.3 billion people who have largely escaped Covid because of a zero Covid strategy, could be vulnerable.
That’s a quick look at the top news this Tuesday Jan. 18/2022.
Have a good day everyone and share this newsletter.
Dana
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-10410919/Beijing-offer-Olympic-tickets-selected-spectators.html
https://www.nytimes.com/2022/01/17/us/politics/russia-ukraine-kyiv-embassy.html
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/jan/17/petro-poroshenko-former-ukraine-president-kyiv-treason-case
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-60028895
https://www.france24.com/en/americas/20220118-rabbi-recounts-terrifying-escape-from-texas-synagogue-hostage-taker