Summary:

• In 2014 Russia annexed Crimea from Ukraine leading to 7 years of conflict between the two countries which continues to this day.
• A majority of the fighting between the two nations has occurred in border skirmishes between Ukranian troops and pro-Russian separatists near Donbass, a region in eastern Ukraine.
• Unverified video footage points to the Kremlin moving large numbers of tanks, equipment, and military personnel near the Ukrainian border and Crimea.
• Both the US and the Ukraine have reported Russian troop movement in regions near Russia and Ukraine’s shared border.
• NATO has also voiced concerns over Russia’s military build-up, and has held an ambassador meeting to address recent spikes in violence near Donbass.
• A Nato official has stated, “Allies shared their concerns about Russia’s recent large-scale military activities in and around Ukraine. Allies are also concerned about Russian violations of the July 2020 ceasefire that led to the death of four Ukrainian soldiers last week,”
• Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has accused Russia of creating a “threatening atmosphere” and “muscle-flexing in the form of military exercises” to possibly provoke border conflict.
• Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov has responded to accusations by stating that Russia’s military build-up is meant to secure their own borders and that it “should not bother anyone and it poses no threat to anyone”.
• Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has hopes that Ukraine will “not be ‘incited’ by politicians, who in turn will be ‘incited’ by the West, led by the United States,”
• An estimated 13,000 people have been killed in the conflict between Russia and Ukraine to date. 

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Trump Grapples For Platform Following Prohibition From Mainstream Social Media Outlets

• Facebook and Instagram joined Twitter and Youtube in banning Donald Trump from their social media sites in January following capital riots believed to have been incited by the former US President. The suspension is currently being reviewed by Facebook’s new Oversight Board.
• Facebook recently took down a video of Trump posted by his daughter-in-law Lara Trump after warning her that “further content posted in the voice of Donald Trump will be removed and result in additional limitations on [her] account”.
• Lara Trump responded to the removal on Instagram by commenting, “And just like that, we are one step closer to Orwell’s 1984. Wow”.
• In lieu of social media blocks from all major outlets Donald Trump and his wife Menalia Trump have created the website ‘45office.com’ which allows visitors to the site to issue invitations to events and request personal greetings from the Trumps.

UK Report Denies Institutional Racism

• A UK government report on race concluded that while racism is still present, there is no institutional racism and other factors, such as family influence, socioeconomic background, etc., play a larger role in quality of life. The report also calls Britain a “model for other white-majority countries.”
• Many have disagreed with the conclusions of this report, specifically about the nonexistence of institutional racism and claims regarding the slave trade.
• The report was prompted in the wake of the Black Lives Matter movement in the summer of last year when thousands protested against racial inequality, specifically the death of George Floyd. 
• The trial for the killing of George Floyd started shortly before this report was released. 

Hong Kong Activists Found Guilty

• A Hong Kong court found seven pro-democracy activists guilty for involvement in “unauthorized assembly” for a peaceful protest in August of 2019.
• While Hong Kong allows freedom of assembly, the court argued that restrictions still apply. The police allowed for a rally in Victoria Park that day, but the expansion of the rally into Hong Kong’s Central District was not permitted; the defense argued the expansion was due to overcrowding.
• This latest ruling continues a pattern of convicting pro-democracy supporters and giving China greater control over the city.

Illegal Chinese Constructions Found On Reefs In Philippines 

• The Phillipine military said it discovered structures in the Philippine territory of the South China Sea, violating international law that give the Philippines “exclusive right over the area” according to military officials.
• China and Philippines both claim territory on Whitsun Reef; yet recently, Philippines has said more than 200 fishing boats from the Chinese maritime militia have been found encroached on its economic zone on Whitsun Reef.
• Beijing claims the Chinese vessels were simply taking refuge from rough seas by moving in the lagoon of Whitsun Reef, an area it claims to be part of China’s territory.

Pakistan Reverses Trade Decision With India

• Pakistan will continue to suspend trade with India, in reversal of its earlier decision to allow resumption of partial trade with its nuclear-neighbor and rival, India.
• Pakistan’s opposition parties strongly opposed the lifting of the two-year ban on imports of sugar and cotton from India, citing the unresolved issue of Kashmir and the government’s actions without Parliament’s approval.
• Disputes over Kashmir, a shared territory across both countries, has been the source of intense conflict between Indian and Pakistan, causing two of three wars fought between the neighboring countries.
• Pakistan’s Foreign Minister said in a Cabinet meeting that trade would be suspended with India until the reversal of the 2019 ruling by India that confers Kashmir special constitutional status and statehood.