Pro-Russian Party Wins Armenian Parliamentary Election; US Plans to Spend $750 Billion on Defense
(Baonghean.vn) - Ukraine may lose billions of dollars due to martial law; IS stubbornly clings to its last stronghold; America will spend 750 billion dollars on defense; Malaysia arrests former Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak... are the world's outstanding news in the past 24 hours.
Ukraine could lose billions of dollars due to martial law
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| Ukrainian soldiers and modern armored vehicles. Photo: AP |
Pryamiy TV (Ukraine) quoted opposition MP Volodymyr Husak as saying: "I believe the damage caused by martial law to the Ukrainian economy could reach billions of dollars."
The lawmaker stressed that the country’s economy is heavily dependent on exports, while other countries’ regulations and protocols often prohibit the purchase and sale of goods with a country under martial law. “Many businesses are currently unable to sign contracts,” Husak said.
IS stubbornly clings to its last stronghold
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IS is taking increasingly reckless measures and fiercely fighting back anyone who attacks them to hold on to their last stronghold. Photo: Getty |
IS, which once controlled almost all of Iraq and Syria, is now struggling to hold on to a small pocket of land that is its last stronghold on the Syrian-Iraqi border after being hit by 30,000 airstrikes. To hold on to its last stronghold, IS has even launched an offensive in the area around the town of Hajin in Deir al-Zour province in an attempt to retake territory it once held.
US officials say the final assault on IS will be difficult because the militants have nothing to lose and no other safe haven. Although the US estimates that IS has only 2,000 to 2,500 fighters left in the Hajin area, General Patrick Roberson, the US military commander, said they have had plenty of time to build up their defenses by digging tunnels and laying booby traps.
Will the US spend $750 billion on defense?
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US President Donald Trump supports Congress' proposal to allocate $750 billion for defense spending next year. Photo: AP. |
President Donald Trump has backed a congressional proposal to spend $750 billion on defense next year, a U.S. official said, signaling a possible increase in Pentagon spending at a time when the U.S. government is tightening its purse strings in other areas.
The Trump administration is currently facing its highest budget deficit in six years. Earlier this year, Trump directed his Cabinet members to propose a 5% spending cut for each agency under their control. However, Trump has said the military will be an exception.
Malaysia arrests former Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak
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| Former Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak. Photo: AP |
The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) has arrested former Prime Minister Najib Razak for allegedly altering the final audit report of 1MDB. Former Malaysian Prime Minister Najib was arrested at around 11:00 am on December 10, minutes after arriving at the MACC headquarters to answer questions related to 1MDB.
Earlier on November 25, Auditor General Madinah Mohamad said that part of the final audit report on 1MDB Fund had been removed, and this part related to businessman Low Taek Jho, also known as Jho Low, who is currently hiding abroad. Businessman Jho Low was an advisor to 1MDB Fund, accused by both Malaysia and the US of money laundering related to this fund.
Pro-Russian party wins landslide victory in Armenian parliamentary elections
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| Armenian Parliament. Photo: Massis Post. |
The Armenian Central Election Commission said that the My Step coalition electoral bloc of former Prime Minister Nikola Pashinian, which favors developing relations with Russia, won a resounding victory in the country's early general elections.
With more than 90% of the votes counted, the My Step coalition won more than 70% of the votes. The Prosperous Armenia party came in a distant second, with 8.37% of the votes. The small liberal pro-Western Shining Armenia party won just 6.33%.
Germany calls for multilateral cooperation to solve migration problem
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| Migrants and refugees in Nantes, France on July 23. Source: AFP/VNA |
Speaking at the United Nations (UN) Conference taking place in Marrakesh (Morocco), German Chancellor Angela Merkel stated: "It is important that we fight together against illegal migration to protect our citizens. It is clear that unilateral national efforts will not solve this problem, but can only be solved through multilateral cooperation."
Ms. Merkel's statement was made in the context that earlier the same day, the UN Conference in Morocco with the participation of leaders and representatives of about 150 countries around the world adopted the Global Compact for safe, orderly and regular migration.
China accuses Canada of 'inhumane treatment' of Huawei executive
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Huawei CFO Meng Wanzhou. Photo:Twitter. |
China has criticized Canada after reports that Meng Wanzhou was not given adequate medical care during her detention. "We believe this is inhumane and a violation of human rights," Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lu Kang said at a press conference, referring to Huawei CFO Meng Wanzhou, who is being held in Canada. Meng was arrested by Canadian authorities on December 1 at Vancouver International Airport at the request of the United States.
Meng Wanzhou's lawyer had previously requested that she be released on bail pending her next bail hearing, citing health reasons. According to the lawyer, Meng suffered from "severe high blood pressure" and difficulty breathing while sleeping, and had been hospitalized immediately after her arrest.
Libya plans to halt production at country's largest oil field
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| El Sharara oil field in Libya. Source: Reuters |
Libya plans to halt production at its largest oil field after tribesmen and state security forces seized the El Sharara oil field, threatening oil workers.
If the National Oil Company (NOC) implements the above plan, the shutdown of the 315,000 barrel/day oil field will also lead to the possibility of closing the nearby 70,000 barrel/day El-Feel oil field. According to NOC, the shutdown of El Sharara oil field will have huge, long-term consequences and it will take a long time to restore production.
