THE NEAR EAST

Hokitika Guardian, 23 May 1940, Page 5

THE NEAR EAST

A RUSSIAN MOVE TOWARDS HUMCARSAN FRONTIER (United Press Association—By Electric Telegraph—Copyright). ■ f - - LONDON, May 22. From Eastern-' Europe conies news ol large military movements of Russian troops towards Hungary. There are said to be thirty ■ divisions along the border of Slovakia. Italy has. closed her Albanian frontier, and it is believed Italian troops have gone into Albania. If Hungary should be menaced by Russia, it is expected that Italy, would go to her assistance. . •( SOVIET REJECTS TRADE OFFER. LONDON, May 22. . The Moscow Radio lias announced that M. Molotov (Soviet Premier), replying to the British , trade memorandum, of May 9, has rejected the British viewpoint. He declares that the British memorandum shows that the British liavo no desire to open trade negotiations with the Soviet. Ho also expresses the intention of the Soviet to trade with belligerents and with neutrals on the principle ol equality. TRADE WITH ITALY. ' , RUGBY, May 21. Sir Wilfred Greene j Master of the Rolls, has left for Rome: ‘ * He .goes to renew contacts with the Italian Government, as Chairman ot the British delegation to the AngloItalian* Joint Standing Committee, which was set up after the outbreak of wari ' •<’ ‘ . ' . His mission: is; to discuss economic affairs affecting the two countries. - . ‘ FRONTIER TO BE CLOSED. . \..V , BELGRADE, May 21. ) The Italians, are reported to have f the... closing, pf the Jngo-slavian-Albahian frontier. V ITALIAN SHIP. ;'.:y BOMBED BY GERMANS. ' RUGBY, May 21. ■> The,'ltalian vessel' “Fidelitas,” two of whose crew .’were .killed; and three wounded, in a boinbihg and machinegun raid on Antwerp, lias reached Cork.- ’'The'; ship was -prevented by hostilities’ from ;discharging her cargo of grain, at Antwerp.' £U the other . 'ships,' except" four Italians, had left the port, when she suffered losses m ;thc bombing raid, and she then left for Ireland, for safety. ; IHAItiNE RISKS FOR SUEZ. [ 1 , ' LONDON, May 22. \ The : 'quotation -for the insurance iratm ;fof shipments between Australia land Afediterranean ports, via the fcape of Good Hope is now one that !iA almost' , unprecedented since the ‘opening of the Suez Canal. ! The" rate of 110 s per cent is that •quoted for-shipments via Suez. TURKISH DEFENCE OUTLAY. • ISTANBUL, Mav 21; _ : ; The .Government has approved an extraordinary credit of £30,000,000 for ’national defence, making the total I £50,000,000. >•: ' ! | .. d r- . . . LONDON, ;• -In Cyprus, all. aerodromes, the nar:hour of. Famagusta, and other areas have been declared prohibited areas. i units of ythe : Cyprus Regiment .were •given:a great : send-off when they sailed from the island to-day. Palestine ii practising black-outs. \ •Haifa and its neighbourhood are ; blacked out every night. • BRITAIN AND BALKANS. \':/;■ , irugby, May 21. « It is authoritatively stated ■in Lon-. : dori that -there is absolutely no 'truth ; in the rumour that the United Kmg- ! dom Commercial Corporation established to promote trade with the Balkans, has been suspended. ' 4‘ ITALIAN DENIAL. : (Received tlii'a day a t 9.45 a.m.) ROME, May 22. It i 8 officially deui'ed that the Italo'Yugoslav .frontier is closed. ROUMANIAN ORDER. ; (Received this day'at 9.50 a.m.) ' . ■ . 'BUCHAREST, May 22.. ? . A majority of the -army* reservists* have* been ordered t 6 rejoin their units within twenty-four hours. It is estimated that 1,300 thousand are under arms,' ■ •, . . ~ , .' ;