Six In The Morning Sunday 23 January 2022

 

Russia-Ukraine tensions: UK warns of plot to install pro-Moscow ally

The UK has accused President Putin of plotting to install a pro-Moscow figure to lead Ukraine's government.

The Foreign Office took the unusual step of naming former Ukrainian MP Yevhen Murayev as a potential Kremlin candidate.

Russia has moved 100,000 troops near to its border with Ukraine but denies it is planning an invasion.

UK ministers have warned that the Russian government will face serious consequences if there is an incursion.

In a statement, Foreign Secretary Liz Truss said: "The information being released today shines a light on the extent of Russian activity designed to subvert Ukraine, and is an insight into Kremlin thinking.

Tennis Australia defends banning ‘Where is Peng Shuai?’ T-shirts at Australian Open

Australian Open officials call police on protesters supporting the tennis player who disappeared after accusing top Chinese official of sexual assault

Emma Kemp at Melbourne Park

Sun 23 Jan 2022 06.57 GMT

Tennis Australia maintains Peng Shuai’s safety is its “primary concern” despite asking fans at Melbourne Park to remove T-shirts and a banner bearing the words “Where is Peng Shuai?”

Australian Open players have continued to express concern for the wellbeing of the Chinese tennis player who in early November accused a senior Chinese official of sexual assault.

But tournament officials have confiscated material they deemed to contain political statements.

This weekend, Brisbane activist Drew Pavlou posted a video to Twitter showing spectators being approached by security and then Victoria police.

Farmers' protest in Spain highlights rural concerns

Farmers, cattle-breeders, hunters and opposition supporters have descended on Spain's capital of Madrid to protest environmental and economic policies by Spain’s left-of-center government that they say are hurting rural communities

Via AP news wire

Farmers, cattle-breeders, hunters and opposition supporters descended Sunday on the Spanish capital of Madrid to protest environmental and economic policies by Spain’s left-of-center government that they say are hurting rural communities.

Sunday’s protest was organized by Alma Rural 2021, a platform representing over 500 rural organizations from all corners of Spain Members of opposition parties, ranging from centrists to far-right supporters, also attended.

The demonstration came as Spanish politicians are campaigning before an early election in Castilla-Leon, a vast region northeast of Madrid where proposals against depopulation and agricultural policies are taking center stage.

Germany Has Little Maneuvering Room in Ukraine Conflict

The U.S. wants to impose harsh sanctions on Russia invades Ukraine. But the German government is putting on the brakes out of fears over the economic consequences and what punitive measures could mean for energy supplies for a country that gets much of its gas from Moscow.

By Markus Becker, Florian Gathmann, Matthias Gebauer, Kevin Hagen, Valerie Höhne, Martin Knobbe, Veit Medick, Jonas Schaible, Fidelius Schmid, Christoph Schult, Christian Teevs, Gerald Traufetter und Severin Weiland

To a certain degree, the visit was a conspiratorial one. No photo, no press release – and the first meeting was a small one. William Burns, the head of the CIA, first attended a meeting last week with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and his chief of staff Wolfgang Schmidt at the chancellor’s behest. Later, they were joined by Bruno Kahl, the head of Germany’s foreign intelligence service, the BND, and staff members from Scholz’s Chancellery. The head of America’s foreign intelligence agency told them bluntly that if Russia attacks Ukraine, the pressure on Berlin to take a clear stand against Moscow will increase.

Burkina protesters torch ruling party HQ, shots fired at several army barracks

Protesters siding with soldiers who staged mutinies at several barracks in Burkina Faso on Sunday set fire to the headquarters of the ruling party in the capital. The government has denied rumours of an army take over.

The headquarters of President Roch Kabore's political party was burned and looted by protesters angry about the goverment's handling of the jihadist threat.

The unrest comes as soldiers staged mutinies at several barracks to demand the sacking of the country's military top brass and allocation of more resources to a seven-year battle against Islamist insurgents.

But the government quickly denied rumours of a putsch and a list of demands presented by the rebellious troops made no mention of trying to oust Kabore, while emphasizing the need for a better anti-jihadist strategy.

"We want adequate resources for the battle" against Islamist extremists, a soldier from the Sangoule Lamizana base in Ouagadougou, one of those involved in the revolt, said in a voice recording received by AFP.

Ireland's data centers are an economic lifeline. Environmentalists say they're wrecking the planet

By Kara Fox, CNN

Updated 1414 GMT (2214 HKT) January 23, 2022

In the west of Ireland lies a medieval market town, its roots steeped in legend. Beyond the labyrinth of narrow streets of the center are the chimney stacks of housing developments that still puff coal and peat. Past those homes, on the outskirts of Ennis, is an unremarkable but huge plot of land, nestled between a power station and farmland where cattle and sheep graze. This is where a mysterious company has applied to develop a new data center the size of 22 American football fields.

If approved, it would be one of the country's biggest. A Dublin-based company called Art Data Centres Ltd. submitted the planning application for the center in July. Not much is known about the company, which was set up in 2018. Its director and secretary have been involved in more than 6,500 other listed Irish companies — over 3,000 of which have since closed, according to the Irish company records checking site SoloCheck. CNN was unable to establish contact with Art Data Centres and its representatives did not respond to requests for comment.