The time for pleasantries and diplomatic decorum has come to an end. In a candid May 31, 2018 editorial published in the Globe and Mail entitled 'China is Not a Threat to Canada', Chinese Ambassador to Canada Lu Shaye made it clear that a destructively toxic environment has been created by the mainstream media and political class alike towards China, which must now come to an end. Although the Chinese are known for their nearly superhuman patience when dealing with basketcase nations of the TransAtlantic region, the state of anti-Sino hysteria now prevalent across Canada has simply gone too far.

The straw that broke the camel's back was the May 23rd intervention launched by the Canadian government into a strategically important purchase of a failing Canadian construction giant named Aecon Inc. As the buy-out - two years in the making - was on the verge of being finalized, a National Security Review conducted by the Ministry of Innovation, Science and Economic Development concluded that China's ownership of Aecon would be detrimental to Canada by allowing a foreign government access to sensitive military and nuclear technology knowledge that could undermine Canada's safety.

The Ministry justified its decision in the following terms:

"Based on their findings, in order to protect national security, we ordered CCCC not to implement the proposed investment... Our government is open to international investment that creates jobs and increases prosperity, but not at the expense of national security."

Instead of recognizing in China a trusted partner and ally that offers Canada a fresh approach to economic development and cooperation not seen in our country in over 50 years, the majority of the population has been led by evidence-free arguments to see in China only a shifty totalitarian state, abusive towards its own people, hungry to steal technological secrets, desirous of undermining the stability of the "free world" and intent on replacing the USA as a new unipolar world empire.

Russia has no presence on Poland's eastern border with Belarus but inviting in the Americans may bring it there

Poland has been asking for the US to set up a permanent military base on its soil. It has even offered Washington up to $2 billion to set it up. That has not gone unnoticed in neighboring Belarus which was at one point named an "Outpost of Tyranny" by George W. Bush, and has been a target of US and EU sanctions which also fund its pro-opposition NGOs.

On a visit in Brussels the Belarusian Foreign Minister told reporters the US setting up a military base in neighboring Poland would prompt Minsk to reconsider its stance on permanent Russian military presence in Belarus:

Russian President Vladimir Putin is visiting Austria on Tuesday - a country that traditionally has good relations with Moscow. His trip, however, might have wider implications for a Europe that seems to be at a crossroads.

Austria has had constructive and pragmatic -if not friendly- relations with Russia and its predecessor, the Soviet Union, since the establishment of the Second Republic back in 1955. Vienna has also strived to keep it that way through the recent turbulent years, marked by increased tensions between Russia and Europe.

Even though it had to join anti-Russian sanctions after Russia's reunification with Crimea and the start of the Ukraine crisis, Austria repeatedly called for easing or even lifting the restrictions, pointing at their ineffectiveness and utter futility.

Vienna has also reaffirmed its commitment to cooperation with Russia, particularly in the energy supply field, and prioritized the importance of keeping all channels open for dialog. Moscow also sets a high value on its good relations with the small Alpine nation. Austria was the first European country Putin visited in summer 2014, after the outbreak of the European conflict put a strain on Russia's relations with the EU.

Former Trump campaign manager Paul Manafort has reportedly given a head-ups to two witnesses in his pending trial, so they would provide false statements on his lobbying work on behalf of Ukraine, court papers reveal.

The filing by FBI Special Counsel Robert Mueller's office, submitted to DC District Court on Monday, accuses the disgraced former Donald Trump campaign manager of attempting to "secure materially false testimony" about the activities of the so-called "Hapsburg Group" of former senior European politicians that, according to an earlier indictment filed by Mueller, support Ukraine, "including by lobbying in the United States."

Manafort allegedly paid the group some $2.5 million in 2012 and 2013 alone.

Kurdish YPG will leave Manbij, the militia confirmed a day after Turkey and the US agreed to a "roadmap" for northern Syria. Experts say the move wasn't a free choice, and it is not known who will now take control of the city.

The US-backed Kurdish militia said in a statement that the bulk of its fighting forces had left Manbij in November 2016, but that its remaining military advisers at the Manbij Military Council were now preparing to leave the northern Syrian city. The statement vowed that YPG (People's Protection Units) "will heed the call when necessary to offer support and help to the people of Manbij should it be needed."

The announced withdrawal comes hours after comments made by Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu, who said on Tuesday that the Kurdish YPG fighters will be disarmed and forced to leave Manbij as part of a roadmap for the region agreed with the US. It's not clear whether the YPG fighters have agreed to surrender their weapons before leaving the city.

British PM Theresa May is complicit in the 'crimes' of her Israeli counterpart Benjamin Netanyahu, a leading UK-based Palestinian campaigner has told RT, a day before the Israeli leader visits London.

Netanyahu has this week been visiting his European allies, German Chancellor Angela Merkel in Berlin and French President Emmanuel Macron in Paris, lobbying them to follow the US and withdraw from the Iran nuclear deal.

While he plans to do the same with May, London-based Palestinian activists are demanding he face questions over the scores of Palestinians shot in Gaza by the Israeli military in the past two months.

On May 4, the New York Times, 2018 citing a number of different sources, reported that Donald Trump had ordered the Pentagon to draw up plans for a possible reduction of America's military presence in South Korea. Of course, it is not a question of Kim yielding, but, according to unnamed, but well-informed persons, the signing of a peace treaty between South Korea and the DPRK will reduce the need to keep 28,500 soldiers on the peninsula.

Certainly, it should be borne in mind that the article was based on anonymous statements, and that the newspaper makes no secret of its anti-Trump agenda, and misses no opportunity to paint him in a bad light, as evidenced by its reports on the US's "intelligence failure."

This happened at the same time as the "Moon versus Moon" scandal in Seoul erupted. Chung Eui-yong, the Director of South Korea's National Security Office, who was on a visit to the USA at the time, asked John Boulton, the US National Security Adviser, about the article, and the latter replied that it was "utter nonsense." And then, on 4 May, in a meeting with journalists, Donald Trump himself clearly stated that such a question was not on the agenda of the forthcoming summit between the USA and the DPRK, all the more so since North Korea had not proposed discussing the reduction of the US's military presence.

However that has not put a stop to the rumors that such a question really will be up for discussion in the summit between Donald Trump and Kim Jong-un, and some people are ready to believe that Mr. Trump is preparing something crafty. Perhaps, they say, the US President really does want to withdraw at least some of the forces, either for financial reasons or to have them available in the event of a possible war with Iran. This decision would be made to look like a step to meet the DPRK, in exchange for the latter freezing its nuclear program and in recognition of its "wish for denuclearization," especially since in this case both parties would be able to present the withdrawal to their people as a great diplomatic triumph. And, what is more, the withdrawal of troops may be as long drawn-out and gradual a process as North Korea's disarmament, and, if necessary, both processes could be easily reversed, since there has been no talk of dismantling the related infrastructure.

The Israeli government has begun selling the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia information on how to develop nuclear weapons, according to a senior official at the Israeli military organization iHLS (Israel's Homeland Security). Ami Dor-on, a senior nuclear commentator at the organization - which is partially funded by U.S. weapons-giant Raytheon - came forward because of his concern over the emerging nuclear arms race in the region. The cooperation between the two countries in helping the Saudis to develop a nuclear weapons program is just the latest sign of their warming relationship, with Israel recently calling the Saudi crown prince "a partner of Israel."

Israel has been a nuclear power for decades, though its nuclear arsenal is undeclared and the country has refused to sign the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty. Estimates of its arsenal vary, with most suggesting that Israel possesses from 100 to 200 nuclear weapons. Israel was aided in the development of its nuclear program by Western powers, particularly France. Much of the Western "help" Israel received, however, was the result of covert thefts of nuclear material from countries such as the United States and Belgium.

Russia would least of all want to see a nuclear war with North Korea raging near its border, President Vladimir Putin told Austrian TV, adding that Moscow will "exhaust every effort" to resolve the tensions there peacefully.

"I do not even want to think about it," Putin told the Austrian broadcaster ORF when asked about a potential nuclear showdown between the US and North Korea. The Russian leader also described the very idea of such a development as "dreadful."

"Russia, of all countries, is not interested in it because North Korea is our neighbor," Putin said, explaining that some Korean nuclear test sites are located less than a couple of hundred kilometers from the Russian border and "this is something absolutely real for us."

The crisis on the Korean peninsula should be resolved exclusively through diplomatic means, he said, adding that Russia "pins great hopes on the personal meeting between [US] President Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un." At the same time, he stressed that "the road towards denuclearization of North Korea should be a two-way road," implying that Washington should also make some concessions instead of just placing demands on Pyongyang.

"If the North Korean leader is backing up his intentions with practical actions, for example, giving up new tests of ballistic missiles, new nuclear tests, the other side should reciprocate in a tangible manner," Putin told ORF.

He added that he considers continued US military exercises in the area "counterproductive."

Ankara and Washington say they have agreed on details of a withdrawal of US-backed Kurdish militia from northern Syria, as visiting Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu declared further US support to the Kurds "unacceptable."

Cavusoglu was in Washington on Monday, meeting with US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo to discuss Syria as well as US-Turkish relations. The State Department confirmed the agreement on a "road map" for the city of Manbij, using dry diplomatic language.

At the press conference following the meeting with Pompeo, however, Cavusoglu was far more direct. The city of Manbij would be secured by both Turkish and US forces, he said, and the roadmap will be implemented in other parts of Syria as well, according to Reuters and several Turkish outlets.

Further US support for the Kurdish YPG (People's Protection Units) militia was "unacceptable," the Turkish FM declared.