Nord Stream 2 at risk of attack from Russia; UK wants to send former spy 2 to the US

1. Ukraine associates Nord Stream 2 with the risk of a large-scale attack from Russia

The commissioning of the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline could lead to a large-scale Russian military attack on Ukraine.

The statement was made by the Chairman of the Verkhovnaya Rada of Ukraine, Andrei Parubiy, during a roundtable discussion on the topic "Reforming the national security system of Ukraine - the role of the Parliament".

"The implementation of the Nord Stream 2 gas project, in my opinion, is a belligerent intention, a desire of the Russian Federation, of Putin and his entourage to directly influence the EU countries, which can bring direct military threats leading to a new full-scale attack of the Russian army on Ukraine," the Ukrainian news agency UNIAN quoted the Speaker of the Ukrainian Parliament as saying.

2. US holds secret dialogue with North Korea ahead of summit

US President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un. Source: Reuters/jpost

Sputniknews reported that on April 7, CNN reported that the US and North Korea are holding many direct and secret dialogues right before the summit between US President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un.

CNN reported that CIA Director and incoming US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and his team are working with North Korea through intelligence channels to prepare for the summit.
According to CNN, US and North Korean intelligence officials even held a meeting in a third country to discuss the location of the summit; in which, the North Korean side wants to hold the summit in the capital Pyongyang. The Mongolian capital Ulan Bator is also considered a possible location for the meeting.

3. He wants to bring the poisoned former Russian spy to the US to stabilize his life.

Spy Sergei Skripal and his daughter. Source: dailymail.co.uk

According to Reuters, the British Sunday Times newspaper reported that London is considering providing former Russian spy Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia with a new identity and a new life in the US, to protect them from assassination plots.

The Sunday Times said that the MI6 intelligence agency had discussed with the US Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) about settling the lives of former spy Skripal and his daughter - victims of the poisoning in the city of Salisbury last month.

Sunday Times sources said that London wanted to ensure the safety of the Skripals by settling them in one of the countries in the “five eyes” intelligence-sharing alliance (including the US, Canada, Australia, the UK and New Zealand).

4. Clashes over the arrest of former Brazilian President Lula da Silva

Former Brazilian President Lula da Silva. Source: AP

At least nine people were injured in clashes over the arrest of former Brazilian President Lula da Silva, who has been released from custody. Brazilian security agencies said on April 8 that the clashes took place near the federal police headquarters in the southern Brazilian city of Curitiba, where Mr. Silva will be held.

On the afternoon of April 7, Brazilian police used tear gas and rubber bullets to disperse a crowd of protesters who had gathered in the city of Curitiba to protest the arrest of Mr. Silva. The protesters set off several rounds of fireworks, filling the area around the facility with explosions and smoke. Mr. Silva's supporters even tried to storm the federal police headquarters.

5. China's trade blow hits Trump supporters

US President Donald Trump at a press conference in 2017. Photo: Reuters.

Despite US President Donald Trump's claim that a trade war is "good and easy to win," senior Republican officials are still wary of the consequences that new tariffs from China could have on their supporters, according toSouth China Morning Post.

Beijing announced on April 4 that it would increase tariffs by 25% on 106 US products worth $50 billion, including soybeans, pork and aircraft, in response to President Donald Trump's plan to impose tariffs on 1,333 Chinese products.

Beijing's announcement of tariffs on US soybeans is notable because it is the largest US export to China and will affect some rural areas that strongly supported Mr. Trump in the 2016 White House race, as well as farmers in states that traditionally vote Republican.

6. Truck crashes into crowd in Germany, more than 30 people injured and dead

Police respond to the crash. Photo: BBC

Several people were killed after a truck plowed into a crowd of pedestrians in Muenster, western Germany on April 7.

Police have asked people to stay away from the city centre while they respond to the incident.

In December 2016, a truck crashed into a crowd at a Christmas market in Berlin, Germany, killing 12 people.

7. Big fire at Trump Tower in New York, 1 dead

Fire broke out on the 50th floor. Photo: FDNY

The New York City Fire Department (FDNY) mobilized dozens of units and more than 120 firefighters to deal with a fire that broke out on the 50th floor of Trump Tower in New York City before 6 p.m. on April 7.

According to the Guardian, this tower was the residence of Mr. Donald Trump before he was elected US president in 2016. His family is currently living in the White House in Washington. The cause of the fire has not yet been determined.

The New York City Fire Department (FDNY) has raised the severity of the fire from a 2-alarm to a 4-alarm.

8. 70 people died in chemical attack in Syria

Children receive emergency treatment at a Syrian hospital following a chemical attack on April 8. Photo: AP.

On April 8, an attack using the nerve agent Sarin occurred in the town of Douma, Syria, killing at least 70 people. The town of Douma is the last place in the Eastern Ghouta region still occupied by opposition forces, according toBBC."Hundreds of others are suffering the consequences of the attack," Raed al-Saleh, head of the White Helmets rescue organization, said on Twitter.

Earlier, a helicopter was believed to have dropped a bomb containing the nerve agent Sarin on the town of Douma. According to the Association of Healthcare Organizations, many people were taken to the hospital with symptoms such as convulsions and white foam from the mouth.

Several rescue and medical organizations have claimed that the government of President Bashar al-Assad carried out the attack, which killed 70 people. In response, Syrian officials and their ally Russia have said the attack was a fabrication. Meanwhile, the United States has condemned Russia's support for the attack, which directly led to the deaths of 70 innocent people.