Hundreds of migrants rescued in desert; US sanctions European companies doing business with Iran
(Baonghean.vn) - The world in the past 24 hours has been filled with many events such as: The first summit between Putin and Trump in Helsinki; The 8th member of the British Prime Minister's cabinet resigns; The Syrian army captures the most strategic hill in Daraa; North Korea carries out the first amnesty in 3 years; Niger rescues hundreds of migrants abandoned in the desert...
Putin discusses bilateral relations, North Korea situation in meeting with Trump
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Trump and Putin greet each other when they meet at the Finnish Presidential Palace. Photo:AFP. |
US President Donald Trump and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin held their first summit in the Finnish capital Helsinki.
The two leaders then held a private meeting that lasted more than two hours and an expanded bilateral meeting, holding a joint press conference after the summit. President Trump and Putin hailed a new beginning in their relationship after their first summit in Finland.
China and EU trade talks
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President of the European Council meets with Chinese Premier Li Keqiang. Photo:Reuters. |
The European Union (EU) delegation arrived in Beijing to meet with Chinese Premier Li Keqiang and other officials. Speaking after the talks, Donald Tusk called on the US, Russia and China to cooperate to avoid the risk of "chaos and conflict" on trade.
Mr. Tusk also said that countries are facing two choices, either to continue to impose punitive tariffs on each other and increase tensions in Ukraine and Syria, or to work together towards common solutions based on fair rules.
Eighth Cabinet member resigns after British Prime Minister's 'soft Brexit' proposal
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| British Prime Minister Theresa May (right), former British Prime Minister David Cameron (left) and Mr. Robert Courts (middle) at Hanborough on October 15, 2016. Photo: AFP/TTXVN |
In a statement posted on social media on July 15, Robert Courts, a close MP, announced his decision to resign from his position as Undersecretary of State at the Foreign Office. Courts explained that he felt “not myself” when forced to defend Prime Minister May’s “soft Brexit” plan.
Thus, in less than 2 weeks, the British Prime Minister has received the resignations of 8 cabinet members. The first person to do so was the British Secretary of State in charge of Brexit David Davis, followed by Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson and several other ministers who made similar decisions just a few days later.
Syrian army captures most strategic hill in Daraa
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| Smoke rises after an airstrike on rebel targets in Daraa city on March 23. Source: AFP/VNA |
According to Xinhua, the SANA news agency reported that the Syrian army has captured Al-Harrah, the highest and most strategic hill in the Daraa region in the northwest of the country, which can observe the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights.
Hundreds of rebel fighters and their families left the southwestern Syrian city of Daraa on July 15 for opposition-held areas in the north as part of a ceasefire agreement reached between rebel groups and the Damascus government last week.
Novichok poison that poisoned British citizen was contained in a perfume bottle
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Portrait of Mr. Charlie Rowley (right) and Ms. Dawn Sturgess (left), two victims of exposure to the nerve agent Novichok. Source: AFP/TTXVN |
AFP reported that Charlie Rowley, one of two British citizens exposed to the nerve agent Novichok on June 30, discovered the substance contained in a perfume bottle.
The victim's brother, Matthew Rowley, told BBC News that his 45-year-old brother had said he had found the perfume. British police have declined to comment on the information.
North Korea carries out first amnesty in 3 years
The Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported that the country's government will carry out a new amnesty to mark the 70th anniversary of the country's founding in September. This is the first amnesty in the past 3 years.
According to KCNA, the amnesty will take effect from August 1 and the government and relevant agencies of North Korea will develop a plan to ensure that pardoned prisoners have stable lives and jobs after their release. However, KCNA did not specifically mention the scale of this amnesty.
US refuses to exempt Europe from Iran sanctions
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| An oil facility on Iran's Khark Island. Photo: AFP/VNA |
Washington will not change its decision to impose new sanctions on companies operating in Iran, despite a European proposal to exempt companies doing business with Tehran from sanctions, AFP reported.
International companies operating in Iran face the risk of US sanctions in the coming weeks after Washington rejected a request from senior European officials to exempt key industries from sanctions to help preserve the Iran nuclear deal.
Niger rescues hundreds of migrants abandoned in the desert
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| African migrants. Source: AFP |
Niger officials say the country has rescued nearly 600 African migrants who were abandoned in the desert in neighboring Algeria near the border with Niger in poor health and lacking food and water.
Many are sick and being cared for by local health workers and staff from the International Organization for Migration (IOM). These migrants are believed to be trying to reach Europe.
