Russia airstrikes Syrian rebels; Singapore spends $12 million on Trump-Kim meeting

US reunites 522 children separated from parents under immigration policy

Migrant children from Mexico and Central America at a shelter in Tijuana on June 20. Photo: AFP.

The US Department of Homeland Security said on June 23 that a total of 522 children had been reunited with their parents, three days after Trump signed an executive order ending the policy of separating illegal immigrant families crossing the US-Mexico border, according toReuters.

The United States has implemented a "zero tolerance" policy for the past 10 weeks, requiring criminal prosecution of immigrants who cross the border illegally. Children have been separated from their families while their parents are held in separate facilities while criminal proceedings are ongoing. They have been placed in refugee camps and shelters.

Washington said there are currently 2,053 children who have not been reunited with their parents. "The US government knows the location of all of these children and is working to reunite them with their families," the US Department of Homeland Security said.

Russian air strikesSyrian rebels

Location of Busra al Harir. Graphics: middleeasteye.

Syrian rebel sources said Russian aircraft carried out airstrikes on rebel-held towns in southwestern Syria on June 24. It was the first time Moscow has provided air support for the Syrian army’s campaign to retake the strategic area bordering Jordan and the Israeli-controlled Golan Heights.

Two military aircraft tracking centers recorded at least 20 air strikes on Busra al Harir, northeast of Deraa. Two Reuters sources said five Russian aircraft took off from the country’s Hmeimim air base in Syria to carry out the attack.

Singapore spends $12 million on Trump-Kim summit

TUS President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un met in Singapore on June 12. Photo: Reuters.

Singapore's Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced on June 24 that the official cost of hosting the historic Trump-Kim meeting was SGD 16.3 million (USD 12 million), most of which was spent on security, but did not provide further details.Reutersreport

Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong previously estimated that the summit between US President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un would cost around S$20 million (over $14.7 million). Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan said the figure included hotel expenses for Mr. Kim.

Erdogan claims victory in Türkiye's presidential election

People in the Kurdish-majority city of Diyarbakir go to vote on the morning of June 24. Photo: Reuters

Polling stations for the presidential and parliamentary elections in Türkiye on June 24 will be open from 8am (12pm Hanoi time) to 5pm (9pm Hanoi time). More than 56 million people are eligible to vote.

Late on June 24, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan declared victory in the presidential and parliamentary elections with a higher approval rating than in the 2014 election. However, opposition parties expressed suspicions of irregularities in the vote counting process.AFPreport

According to figures from Türkiye's state news agencyAnadolu, after 98% of the votes were counted, Mr. Erdogan won 52% of the vote, while his main rival, center-left candidate Muharrem Ince of the Republican People's Party (CHP), won only 31% of the vote. Candidate S Selahattin Demirtas - of the pro-Kurdish People's Democratic Party (HDP) won nearly 8% of the vote, while candidate Meral Aksener - a former interior minister representing the Good Party (Iyi), won more than 7% of the vote.

Italy firmly refuses to accept rescue ship carrying migrants in distress

A boat carrying migrants was rescued in the Mediterranean. Source: EPA-EFE/TTXVN

On June 23, the Italian Coast Guard announced that the country would no longer be the "first point of reference" for receiving migrant ships, and affirmed that illegal migrant ships, including rescue ships, in case of distress in Libyan waters, must "return" to Libya to seek assistance.

Italian Defense Minister Elisabetta Trenta also stressed that the tough stance of the country's Coast Guard does not mean Rome is avoiding its international commitments on the issue of migrants. She also stressed that the force and the Italian Navy are still ready to help migrants in difficult situations.

China cuts reserve requirement ratio at some major banks

Chinese 100 yuan banknote. Source: AFP/VNA

The People's Bank of China (PBOC) announced on June 24 that it would cut the amount of cash considered the reserve requirement ratio (RRR) of some banks by 50 basis points (0.5%) to stimulate lending demand of small businesses.

The PBOC's RRR cut, the third this year, was widely anticipated by investors due to concerns about liquidity in the market and the possibility of an economic slowdown due to the impact of the protracted US-China trade dispute.

The targeted cuts in cash reserves at some banks, currently at 16 percent (for large banks) and 14 percent (for smaller ones), will take effect from July 5, according to the PBOC.

Saudi Arabia lifts ban on women driving

Saudi Arabian women at a car dealership in Jeddah on June 23. Photo: AFP.

Starting June 24, for the first time in the country’s history, Saudi women will be able to drive on their own and legally, ending a decades-long ban. Saudi Arabia is the only country in the world that bans women from driving.

The move is the result of years of campaigning and protest by activists inside and outside Saudi Arabia for women's right to drive.

This change comes in the context of Saudi Arabia's strong economic and social reforms under a plan called Vision 2030, led by 32-year-old Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.

Illustration

The city government of Eskilstuna in Sweden recently decided to consider begging as an official way of earning money and therefore any beggar must have a license.

The decision was supported by the majority of Swedish people. Because in Sweden, most of the beggars are immigrants. Therefore, the decision was essentially to force immigrants to return to their hometowns.