Preparing for the 3rd Inter-Korean Summit; Russia may stop using the USD

Syria holds first local elections since 2011

Syria held its last local elections in December 2011. Photo: msn.com

On September 16, ballot boxes began to open in areas controlled by the Syrian Government for people to exercise their rights and obligations in the first local elections since the country fell into a prolonged civil war in 2011.

Syria's SANA news agency said the voting lasted 12 hours, from 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. local time (to 11:00 p.m. Hanoi time). In this vote, people will elect their representatives to local administrative councils. More than 40,000 candidates are running for 18,478 seats in provincial and municipal councils. The number of seats in this election is slightly higher than the 17,000 seats in the last election, as smaller villages also have fully functional local councils. People's representatives elected in the vote will have more responsibilities than their predecessors, especially those involved in urban reconstruction and development.

Syria held its most recent local elections in December 2011, and parliamentary elections in 2016. The 2014 presidential election returned Bashar al-Assad to power for another seven years.

South Korean advance team arrives in Pyongyang to prepare for the 3rd Inter-Korean Summit

South Korean Presidential Secretary for Unification Affairs Suh Ho (right) and his North Korean counterpart Pak Chul-su during a meeting in Kaesong (North Korea). Photo: AFP/TTXVN

According to a VNA reporter in Seoul, on the morning of September 16, a South Korean advance team departed for Pyongyang to prepare logistics for the upcoming inter-Korean summit. The 93-member advance team was led by Suh Ho, the South Korean presidential secretary for unification, along with government officials, technical experts and reporters.

Speaking to reporters before passing through the inter-Korean Customs, Immigration and Quarantine (CIQ) office in Paju city, Gyeonggi province, Mr. Suh Ho said the advance team will make the best preparations for the upcoming inter-Korean summit.

Seoul and Pyongyang agreed to hold the third inter-Korean summit between Moon Jae-in and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un in Pyongyang from September 18-20. According to the plan, South Korean President Moon Jae-in will fly across the Yellow Sea to Pyongyang. Previously, the two leaders had two summits this year, the first on April 27 and the second on May 26.

Venezuela receives financial support from China

Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro (right) and Chinese President Xi Jinping. Source: AFP

Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro said on September 15 that he had secured a commitment of financial support from China to help Caracas increase its oil, gas and gold production, as well as invest in more than 500 development projects in the South American country.

The head of the Venezuelan government said that the country's ministers and Chinese agencies have formed a group to study the possibility of issuing a cryptocurrency, which would be valued on the basis of Venezuela's abundant oil and gas reserves, gold and diamonds. During the meetings, the two governments signed 28 cooperation agreements in many fields.

Russia may stop using the US dollar

Russian ruble and US dollar. Photo: AFP

Chairman of the Financial Market Committee of the Russian State Duma (Lower House) Anatoly Aksakov announced his support for the plan to completely stop using the USD and if implemented, it could be completed within 3-5 years.

RT on September 15 quoted Mr. Aksakov as saying that this is a feasible plan and will help the Russian financial system avoid risks from external influences. Previously, VTB Bank Chairman Andrey Kostin also proposed eliminating USD from all transactions in Russia.

At the Eastern Economic Forum in Vladivostok earlier this week, President Vladimir Putin also said that the USD is a “high-risk asset” because the US foreign debt is currently 20 trillion USD. Reuters quoted the leader as saying that there is a trend of reducing the use of USD in international transactions and replacing it with the currencies of the countries conducting transactions. At the same time, the Kremlin leader called for diversifying foreign exchange reserves and public debt to minimize risks from currency fluctuations.

Philippine military rescues three kidnapped Indonesian hostages

Philippine military forces. Source: AP

The Philippine military announced on September 16 that it had rescued three Indonesian hostages who had been kidnapped in the southern part of the country after nearly 20 months of captivity. The victims were kidnapped on January 18, 2017, while on a speedboat off Taganak Island, Tawi-Tawi province.

According to Lieutenant Colonel Gerry Besana, spokesman for the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), the men were rescued at 4pm yesterday (September 15) in a remote village in Indanan town, Sulu province. They were taken to a local hospital for medical check-ups before being handed over to the Indonesian Embassy in the Philippines. There is currently no information about the kidnappers.

Questioned all night, Haitian Prime Minister passes confidence vote

Haitian Prime Minister Jean Henry Ceant. Source: Ayitibranche

On September 16, after a session lasting more than 10 hours, the Haitian House of Representatives unanimously approved the country's new government headed by Prime Minister Jean Henry Ceant. With 84 votes in favor, 5 votes against and 4 abstentions, new Prime Minister Ceant, leader of a political organization called Renmen Ayiti, passed the confidence vote in the House of Representatives after he participated in a session answering questions from lawmakers that lasted all night.

Previously, the Haitian Senate also conducted a similar vote and approved Haiti's new government with 21 votes in favor out of a total of 28 votes.

Thus, the new government of Prime Minister Ceant has completed the first two necessary steps to be able to operate. However, in the context of disagreements between the legislature and the government, it took a month for Mr. Ceant's 18-member cabinet to be approved.

Super typhoon Mangkhut causes heavy damage in Hong Kong, Philippines

Image:Reuters

Typhoon Mangkhut hit Hong Kong with winds of 232 km/h and gusts of 257 km/h, causing many houses to tilt, according toSCMPWaves at least 4 meters high submerged the entire city. Streets were blocked by floodwaters while many high-rise buildings shook and glass windows were shattered by strong winds.

More than 100 people were injured. Most flights to and from the special administrative region were canceled.

Earlier that day, Typhoon Mangkhut swept through the Philippines, killing at least 59 people. Mangkhut is considered the strongest storm of the year, causing severe flooding and landslides in many important agricultural areas on the northern island of Luzon.