World
China lashes out at US military aid to Taiwan as it pledges to ‘reunify motherland’ | World | News

China lashed out at Washington and Taipei after the White House announced a £268million ($345million) military aid package for Taiwan.
Beijing claimed “Taiwanese separatists” are turning the self-governed territory, which China considers its own territory, into a “powder keg”.
Chen Binhua, a spokesperson for the Taiwan Affairs Office, said late on Saturday, hours after the US’s latest show of support for Taipei: “No matter how much of the ordinary people’s taxpayer money the … Taiwanese separatist forces spend, no matter how many US weapons, it will not shake our resolve to solve the Taiwan problem.
“Or shake our firm will to realise the reunification of our motherland.
“Their actions are turning Taiwan into a powder keg and ammunition depot, aggravating the threat of war in the Taiwan Strait.”
Beijing showed its threats aren’t empty as on Sunday Taipei said to have tracked six Chinese navy ships in waters off its shores.
Taiwan’s ruling administration, led by the Democratic Progressive Party, recently stepped up its weapons purchases from the US in a bid to deter a Chinese invasion.
Earlier this year, the US approved nearly £15billion ($19billion) in military sales of F-16 jets and other weapon systems to Taiwan.
The aid announced on Friday has been hailed as historic as it marks the first time in Joe Biden‘s White House term Washington will draw on the country’s own stockpiles to send help to Taiwan.
This allows for quicker delivery of munitions and aid as it doesn’t need to rely on production time.
Speaking of the military aid package, two sources described as US officials claimed it includes man-portable air defence systems known as MANPADS, intelligence and surveillance capabilities as well as firearms and missiles.
In line with the One China policy, Washington maintains formal relations with Beijing and unofficial ones with Taipei, in a bid to preserve stability in the Taiwan Strait.
However, the US also reserves the right to send military aid to Taipei to make an invasion of Taiwan too difficult and costly to be backed by China.
So far, China has performed threatening manoeuvres in the Strait and verbally condemned exchanges between the US and Taiwan’s militaries – described by Beijing’s Defence Ministry in May as an “extremely wrong and dangerous move”.
China and Taiwan split in 1949 amid a civil war.
World
Bill Gates says Jeffrey Epstein blackmailed him over unfaithful marriage in huge bombshell | World | News

Bill Gates has claimed Jeffrey Epstein tried to use the fact he’d been unfaithful in his marriage as leverage to pressure him to re-engage with him.
Billionaire Gates told members of the House Oversight Committee on Wednesday that he had no knowledge of Jeffrey Epstein’s crimes and that Epstein attempted to use information about his personal life, including that he had been unfaithful in his marriage, to pressure Gates”, US broadcaster CNN reported after obtaining a copy of his opening remarks.
Quoted by the CNN, Gates said: “I never witnessed nor had any indication that Epstein was engaged in ongoing criminal conduct. I never went to his island, his ranch, or his Florida home. I have never victimized anyone.
“While he may have sought to foster a personal relationship, I was never interested in that and never reciprocated.
“I learned Epstein had become aware of sensitive information about my personal life, including the fact that I had been unfaithful in my marriage. These affairs had nothing to do with my interactions with Epstein, but they were painful for my family.”
Gates, who characterised his interactions with Epstein as “limited,” said he was introduced to Epstein in 2011 and that the late convicted sex offender promised he could raise billions of dollars for global health.
“I recall being aware that Epstein had faced prior legal issues, but I did not fully understand the extent of the crimes he committed. I accepted the introduction without applying the scrutiny I should have,” he told lawmakers, according to the CNN.
Gates alleged Epstein tried to use what he knew about his infidelities to pressure him to re-engage with him after their contact had ended.
“He was unsuccessful in this effort, but it shows some of the ways he tried to leverage his interactions with me to further his agenda. I should never have met with Epstein in the first place,” the CNN also reported.
World
Man shot dead in broad daylight in Barcelona – police hunt suspect | World | News

A man has been shot dead outside a police building in Barcelona. The incident happened in broad daylight, at around 10am local time in the Spanish city. The victim was gunned down on Carrer de Balmes before the suspect fled, according to local reports.
The man was killed in front of the National Police’s DNI office, responsible for issuing National Police ID cards and passports, according to local news outlet ElCaso.cat. Catalan police are now investigating the incident alongside agents from the Criminal Investigation Division (DIC).
Police reportedly have an image of the suspect, and have recovered a gun and a bicycle helmet.
A law enforcement operation has now been launched to try to hunt the suspect down.
This incident comes ahead of the Pope’s visit this afternoon, which prompted road closures and heightened security.
He will travel in the Popemobile along Rosselló Street from Diagonal Avenue to the Sagrada Família.
The shooting isn’t believed to be in any way linked to Pope Leo’s visit.
It’s also the second shooting in the Spanish city in just three days, after a man was shot multiple times and killed on Sunday night.
The incident unfolded in the streets of Mineria and Mare de Deu del Port. Emergency services rushed to the scene and attempted to resuscitate the man, but he sadly died following the gunshot wounds.
Last month, another man was shot in the head and killed on the same street, which authorities are still investigating and trying to track down the gunman.
World
Greggs opens first branch abroad at holiday hotspot loved by Brits | World | News

Greggs has officially gone international and reportedly opened its very first airport location outside of the UK just in time for the summer season. The British bakery giant has launched a brand new store at Tenerife South Airport in the Canary Islands. Covering 197 square metres the store is expected to attract thousands of travellers passing through the airport every day.
Holidaymakers can choose from a range of Greggs favourites, such as its well-known sausage rolls, while also offering items designed to cater to local tastes and the needs of international travellers passing through with the Spanish Omelette Breakfast Roll, Blueberry Muffin and freshly squeezed bottled orange juice being new additions to the menu. Tenerife South Airport is one of the busiest airports in Spain, welcoming more than 14 million passengers last year. Around 5.5 million of those travellers came from the UK, making British visitors the airport’s largest customer group.
The new branch, which opened on Canary Islands Day on June 1, is located in Terminal A after security and close to a key departure route used by passengers travelling back to Britain, Travel Retail Business reports.
The site has a capacity of up to 92 seats. The new store is being launched with Lagardere Travel Retail, which operates more than 5,000 travel outlets worldwide.
This marks the chain’s first venture outside the UK since closing their Belgium locations in 2008.
Greggs CEO, Roisin Currie, said: “Tenerife South Airport is a hub for millions of UK and international passengers each year, making it the ideal location to test spreading our wings in an overseas setting.
“It’s an exciting milestone for Greggs as we bring a slice of home to the Canaries, and we’re confident our great-value offering will resonate just as well under the Spanish sun as it does on the UK high street.”
CEO of Lagardere Travel Retail Spain and Portugal, Javier Cagigal, said: “As passengers head home, this new opening gives them a familiar, comforting choice in departures, whether that’s a last treat, a relaxed sit-down moment or something to ease the journey home.”
Lagardère Travel Retail VP Dining Christine Bony also said: “We are delighted to begin our partnership with Greggs at Tenerife South Airport. This opening illustrates how we work with High Street brands with strong consumer recognition to support their international development in travel environments.
“By combining passenger insights, location dynamics and our global footprint, we are able to identify the right concepts and create the conditions for them to reach an international audience.”
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