US freezes Open Skies treaty with Russia; minister loses job for traveling with beauty queen
(Baonghean.vn) - The world over the past 24 hours has been filled with many events such as: The US freezes the Open Skies treaty with Russia; Türkiye establishes its own armed forces in Syria; North Korea will not denuclearize until there is a declaration of the end of the war; The road bridge collapse tragedy in Italy, dozens of people died...
US freezes Open Skies treaty with Russia
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| Tu-154 reconnaissance aircraft, a vehicle often used by Russia in flights over US airspace within the framework of the Open Skies Treaty. Photo:Business Insider. |
The new US defense bill affirms that Washington will stop funding activities within the framework of the Open Skies Treaty with Moscow.
"No funds are being allocated to fund activities such as aircraft repairs to comply with the Open Skies Treaty. The suspension will remain in place until the President certifies to Congress that sanctions have been implemented to address Russia's violations of the treaty,"SputnikAugust 13 excerpt from the content of the US National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for fiscal year 2019.
US officials in June 2017 accused Russia of failing to comply with the terms of the Open Skies Treaty by imposing restrictions on flights over the airspace of Kaliningrad in the Baltic region, while Moscow insisted it had not violated the treaty.
Türkiye creates its own armed forces in Syria
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A gunman of the Free Syrian Army rebel group operating in northwestern Syria. Photo: Sputnik. |
Türkiye is gathering rebel groups in northern Syria to form a new armed force called a "national army" to prevent President Bashar al-Assad's government from gaining strategic gains in the region.
Local sources said the new "national army" that Türkiye plans to create will include about 35,000 fighters from different groups, organized as a legal force, with its own uniforms, military rank system and a specialized military police unit.
In addition to paying monthly salaries to the fighters, Türkiye also helped them set up 12 military outposts, mainly in Idlib province, as well as build infrastructure, including schools.
North Korea will not denuclearize until there is a declaration of the end of the war.
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| North Korean leader Kim Jong-un (left) and US President Donald Trump at the US-North Korea Summit on June 12 in Singapore, where the two sides pledged to take steps towards denuclearization. Photo:AP |
Tongil Shinbo, a North Korean weekly publication, said the denuclearization process cannot make any significant progress unless the US takes corresponding phased actions, such as declaring an end to the Korean War (1950-1953), to build trust between the two sides.YonhapAugust 14 news.
The article also mentioned a breakthrough in relations between Pyongyang and Seoul and Washington, but asserted that ending the state of war on the peninsula remains an unresolved task.
Road bridge collapse tragedy in Italy, dozens dead
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The collapsed bridge section is about 200 meters long. Photo: AJ+ |
More than 180 meters of a road bridge in the port city of Genoa, Italy, collapsed. The incident happened at 5:00 a.m. on August 14 (local time) during a heavy rainstorm, Italian news agency ANSA reported.
Authorities suspect structural failure of the bridge was to blame. Italian media reported that rescue teams were deployed, digging deep into the rubble to search for people in the car that fell from the bridge. Adnkronos news agency quoted local emergency services as saying the number of casualties could be "dozens".
Total and many Western corporations "stirring" to withdraw from Iran
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| South Pars oil production facility in Assaluyeh town, southern Iran. Photo: AFP/TTXVN |
On August 14, Iranian state media quoted a statement from French energy group Total saying that the group is waiting for a response from China National Petroleum Corporation (CNPC) on whether CNPC will buy Total's shares in the South Pars 11 (SP11) gas field exploitation project in Iran.
Total is now “moving” to withdraw from a multi-billion dollar gas exploration project after the US re-imposed sanctions on Iran. The reason for this move is that the US will impose a second round of sanctions from next November targeting Iran’s ports, energy, shipping and shipbuilding sectors, and oil transactions. In addition, US President Donald Trump has also warned that companies doing business with Iran will not be allowed to do business with the US.
Economists say that not only Total will be forced to leave Iran, but many other large Western corporations will have to leave one after another. Many European businesses have anticipated Washington's next moves after the US withdrew from the nuclear deal with Iran.
Israel may reopen Kerem Shalom crossing in Gaza Strip
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| Kerem Shalom border crossing in Rafah, Gaza Strip on May 13. Photo: AFP/TTXVN |
Israeli Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman said on August 14 that the country will reopen its only cargo crossing with the Gaza Strip on August 15 if the calm situation in this blockaded Palestinian enclave is maintained.
In a statement, Minister Lieberman said that if the calm situation continues to be maintained at the border area with the Gaza Strip, currently controlled by the Hamas Movement, until the morning of August 15, the Kerem Shalom border crossing will be opened at 9 a.m. the same day (local time), or 1 p.m. August 15 Vietnam time, and the fishing area will be expanded to about 14 kilometers from the coast.
Previously, on July 9, Israel closed the Kerm Shalon border crossing, partly because Gaza launched kites and incendiary balloons into the country.
British counter-terrorism police investigate car crash outside Parliament
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| The scene of the car crash. Source: abc.net.au |
British police said counter-terrorism units were investigating an incident outside the British Parliament on August 14, where a car crashed into a security barrier, injuring several people.
Nearby Westminster Underground station was closed following the incident. Roads around the UK Parliament were also blocked.
Earlier, police said a car crashed into a security fence outside the British Parliament, injuring several people. Police immediately arrested the driver. According to the latest police announcement, two people were injured but their lives were not in danger.
5 European countries will receive migrants on the rescue ship Aquarius
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| The Aquarius ship docked at Catania port on the island of Sicily, Italy after a rescue operation for migrants in the Mediterranean in March 2017. Photo: AFP/TTXVN |
On August 14, the European Commission (EC) said that France, Germany, Luxembourg, Portugal and Spain had agreed to accept all 141 migrants on the rescue ship Aquarius.
The deal ended four days of deadlock over the fate of 141 migrants rescued by the Aquarius in the Mediterranean after Italy and Malta refused to let the ship dock.
The Aquarius had rescued 141 migrants on August 10, half of whom were children. However, on August 11, Italian Interior Minister Matteo Salvini declared that the Aquarius “will never see an Italian port” again.
Norwegian minister loses job after traveling abroad with former beauty queen
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Mr. Per Sandberg and his girlfriend Bahareh Letnes. Photo:Guardian. |
Norwegian Fisheries Minister Per Sandberg has resigned after it was discovered he traveled to Iran with his former beauty queen girlfriend without informing the government.
According toGuardianFormer Fisheries Minister Per Sandberg admitted to traveling to Iran in July with his girlfriend Bahareh Letnes without informing the Prime Minister's Office. Mr. Sandberg also admitted to taking his work phone with him on the trip to the Islamic country.
Minister Sandberg's unauthorized travel to Iran violated Norway's security regulations, as the country's intelligence agency has long listed Iran as a country that frequently conducts intelligence attacks against Oslo.
Sandberg’s girlfriend, 28-year-old former Miss Iran Bahareh Letnes, had her asylum application rejected three times in Norway and was deported. She was later granted a residence permit on the grounds that she was at risk of being forced into marriage if she stayed in Iran.
