8 outstanding international events last week

(Baonghean.vn) - Russian Ambassador to the United Nations suddenly passed away;US President Donald Trump appoints new national security adviser; New ceasefire in Eastern Ukraine: At risk of collapse; Largest flood in 100 years, 50,000 Californians urgently evacuated;... are notable international events of the past week.

1. Russian Ambassador to the United Nations suddenly passed away

Russian Ambassador to the United Nations Vitaly Churkin (Photo: AP)

Russian Ambassador to the United Nations Vitaly Churkin died on February 21 at the age of 64, just one day before his 65th birthday.

Ambassador Churkin suffered a heart attack at the Russian diplomatic compound on East 67th Street in New York City, an official said. Churkin was rushed to Prebyterian Hospital but died.

Russian President Vladimir Putin “expressed his sympathy for the grief of Ambassador Churkin's friends and family, as well as all other employees of the Russian Foreign Ministry.”

“We have lost one of the most respected and influential members of the United Nations family,” said Peter Thomson, president of the United Nations General Assembly. “Vitaly Churkin’s name will live long in the history of this organization.”

Vitaly Churkin, described by colleagues as a man of outstanding intelligence and diplomatic skills, became Russia's ambassador to the United Nations in 2006 and is also the longest-serving ambassador to the Security Council.

2. US President Donald Trump appoints new national security advisor

President Donald Trump expressed confidence in the talent and experience of Mr. Herbert Raymond McMaster.

On February 20, US President Donald Trump appointed General Herbert Raymond McMaster as the new national security advisor after Mr. Michael Flynn suddenly resigned from this position.

Before making his choice, President Trump interviewed Mr. McMaster and several other candidates. “He is a very talented and experienced man. I have watched and read a lot about him in the last two days. He is respected by all members of the military and we are honored to have him in our ranks,” Mr. Donald Trump said.

In response to the President's compliments, Mr. McMaster pledged to do his best to protect the interests of the American people.

Mr. McMaster received his PhD in military history from the University of North Carolina. He played an important role in several US military campaigns in Germany, Southwest Asia and Iraq.

Mr. McMaster was not the first choice to fill the position left by Mr. Flynn. Last week, Mr. Trump nominated Robert Harward for the position, but Mr. Harward declined.

3. New ceasefire in Eastern Ukraine: At risk of collapse

Escalating tensions in eastern Ukraine have left people living in despair.

Speaking after talks with the foreign ministers of Ukraine, Germany and France at the Munich Security Conference last weekend, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said the parties had agreed to use their influence to demand a ceasefire and the withdrawal of heavy weapons from eastern Ukraine. Meanwhile, German Foreign Minister Sigmar Gabriel said the latest ceasefire would be a premise for a comprehensive political solution to the conflict.

The Minsk peace agreement, brokered by France and Germany and signed by Russia and Ukraine in February 2015, called for a ceasefire and the withdrawal of heavy weapons from the front line, as well as constitutional reforms to give more autonomy to eastern Ukraine. But since then, the agreement has repeatedly stalled as fighting flared up again, with the Ukrainian government and opposition blaming each other.

Since late January 2017, shelling on both sides of the border near the town of Avdiyivka has become the most serious since last summer. On the eve of the ceasefire coming into effect, the people of Eastern Ukraine continue to face rain of bombs and bullets and are almost on the brink of despair.

4. President Park Geun-hye's assistant was arrested

Mr. Lee Young-seon, aide to impeached President Park Geun-hye. (Source: Yonhap)

South Korean special prosecutors on February 24 questioned and arrested Lee Young-seon, an aide to impeached President Park Geun-hye, on charges of his role in Park being treated by people who did not undergo proper safety checks, Yonhap news agency reported.

Mr. Lee appeared at the office of the special investigation team in Seoul on the morning of February 24, just a day after the team's spokesman said they were trying to determine his whereabouts after repeatedly refusing to comply with summons.

When he arrived at the office, Mr. Lee did not answer any questions from reporters. The official is a suspect in the allegations that he helped many unaccredited doctors enter the Presidential Palace but did not keep any records of the incident.

In addition, the investigation team also asked the police to send security personnel for group leader Park Young-soo and his four assistants after reviewing the protests that took place right in front of the group's office as well as the situation related to the scandal./.

5. The biggest flood in 100 years, 50,000 Californians urgently evacuated

Heavy floods inundated many roads, forcing people to travel by boat.

About 50,000 people in San Jose, northern California (USA), have received urgent evacuation warnings during the historic flooding in this area. According to the US Emergency Management Agency, about 36,000 people have been warned to evacuate and another 14,000 are in the urgent evacuation list.

San Jose Mayor Sam Liccardo admitted that he could not warn people to evacuate sooner because authorities had not properly assessed the severity of the flood.

To increase information about natural disasters, the government has announced flood situations through social networks, mass media and sent warning messages to people.

In some areas, police and firefighters went door-to-door to help residents evacuate. The mayor pledged to prioritize emergency food and supplies for families forced to evacuate.

Due to the effects of the floods, many houses were submerged, important highways had to be closed, and some areas had to declare a state of emergency.

6. China stops importing coal from North Korea

A shipment of Chinese coal imported from North Korea.

China's Ministry of Commerce said in a brief statement on February 18 that the coal import ban will take effect from February 19 to December 31, according to Reuters.

The agency did not specify why, but South Korea's Yonhap news agency reported last week that a shipment of North Korean coal worth about $1 million was rejected at the port of Wenzhou on China's east coast.

The incident came a day after North Korea tested a ballistic missile, defying the international community for the first time since US President Donald Trump took office on January 20.

China announced last April that it would ban coal imports from North Korea in line with UN sanctions and aimed at depriving North Korea of ​​funds for its nuclear and ballistic missile programs. However, it has allowed exceptions for people's livelihoods unrelated to the nuclear and missile programs.

Despite the restrictions, North Korea remained China's fourth-largest coal supplier last year.

7. Australia: Plane crashes into shopping mall, 5 people dead

A corner of the DFO shopping mall was destroyed.

On the morning of February 21, at least five people were killed after a plane crashed into the DFO shopping center near Essendon Airport in Melbourne, Australia.

According to Australian authorities, this is the worst civil aviation accident in Victoria state in the past 30 years.

Witnesses said the plane crashed into the shopping center at 9 a.m. (local time). After the collision, people living in the surrounding area could see a huge fireball and large columns of black smoke rising into the sky.

Five of the victims were on board the plane. “At this point, we have no further fatalities beyond those on board,” said Craig Lapsley, Victoria Fire and Rescue Service chief.

At the time of the accident, the DFO shopping center was not open for business. There were about 20 employees in the center but fortunately no one was injured.

According to preliminary investigation results, the accident occurred due to engine failure of the plane. The plane that crashed was a light, twin-engine Beechcraft B200 Super King Air.

8. German election: Chancellor Angela Merkel's party continues to lose points

Chancellor Angela Merkel. (Source: EPA/VNA)

On February 20, according to the results of a public opinion poll by the German Emnid Research Institute published in the Bild am Sonntag newspaper, the center-left Social Democratic Party (SPD) continues to lead the conservative coalition of Chancellor Angela Merkel in the general election in Germany, scheduled to take place in September.

The poll, with the participation of 1,885 voters, showed that the SPD continued to lead with a support rate of 33%, up 1 point compared to last week. Meanwhile, the support rate for the CDU/CSU coalition was at 32%, down 1 point. Bild am Sonntag newspaper commented that the SPD could form a coalition with the Left Party and the Green Party. Currently, the support rate for the Left Party is still at 8% and the Green Party is at 7%.

Peace

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