Russia Wants to Improve Relations with the US; Clashes Recur in Gaza Strip

President Putin affirms Russia wants to improve relations with the US

Russian President Putin expressed hope on June 9 that Russia-US relations will improve, but said that this depends on Washington.

“I hope to see an improvement in relations between the two sides. At whatever speed, we are ready for that. But I think the ball is in the US court,” Putin was quoted as saying by Russia’s Interfax news agency.

This is not the first time the Russian leader has expressed his willingness to improve relations with the US. Last January, President Putin affirmed that Russia had long been ready to normalize relations with the US, but the US was not ready because the internal political situation in the US had not calmed down.

Trump changes schedule, leaves G7 Summit early to go to Singapore

US President Trump in Canada. Source: cbc.ca

According to Reuters news agency, US President Donald Trump will leave the Group of Seven (G7) Summit taking place in Canada earlier than planned to prepare to fly to Singapore.

Mr. Trump is expected to leave Canada at 10 a.m. local time on June 9, 4 hours earlier than originally scheduled, to prepare for his flight to Singapore and have a historic meeting with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un.

Previously, according to some sources, North Korean leader Kim Jong-un was expected to fly to Singapore's Changi Airport on June 10.

Clashes resume in Gaza Strip, killing more than 600 people

Four people were killed and 618 others were injured in clashes between Palestinians and Israeli soldiers near the Gaza Strip from the afternoon of June 8 (local time).

The protest quickly turned into riots when Palestinian protesters carrying flags attached to incendiary grenades dropped into Israeli fields, causing large fires.

Israeli soldiers used tear gas to disperse protesters. The clashes broke out as part of the “Great Return Protest” that Palestinians have been carrying out in the Gaza Strip since March 30. An estimated 120 people have been killed since the clashes began.

India and China promote bilateral relations

Chinese President Xi Jinping and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Source: firstpost.com

On June 9, Chinese President Xi Jinping and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi held talks in Qingdao, Shandong Province, China to work out a detailed plan to strengthen bilateral relations and review the implementation of decisions made by the two leaders at their informal summit in Wuhan, China.

During the meeting, the two sides discussed key aspects of bilateral cooperation, demonstrating the two countries' determination to reset relations and restore trust in their relations following the Doklam standoff, as well as a number of other thorny issues facing the two countries.

Taliban continue to attack police before declaring ceasefire

Afghan security forces investigate at the scene of an attack carried out by the Taliban in Kandahar province. Source: AFP/VNA

On the morning of June 9, Taliban insurgents split into several factions and launched a series of attacks on security posts in Kunduz province, northern Afghanistan, killing 20 security personnel from the government forces. On the Taliban side, dozens of insurgents were killed.

Earlier on the night of June 8, at least 17 Afghan soldiers were also killed in a Taliban attack on a military base in Herat province, western Afghanistan.

The incidents came just hours before the Taliban announced a three-day ceasefire during the Muslim holiday of Eid al-Fitr, marking the first time the group has proposed a ceasefire with government forces since the US military presence in the southwest Asian nation in 2001.

Malaysia calls for review of CPTPP

New Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad. Source: Getty Images

New Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad on June 9 called for a review of the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP), formerly known as the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), saying that small economies like Malaysia would be at a disadvantage under the current terms of the deal.

Prime Minister Mahathir said the CPTPP needs to take into account the development levels of different countries, with weaker economies being given the opportunity to protect their products.

Mr. Mahathir did not deny the importance of agreements like the CPTPP, but also did not mention the possibility of his country withdrawing from the agreement.

Icelanders who die donate their organs

Illustration photo.

Iceland has approved a new law that requires all citizens to donate their organs upon death, unless they leave a will or their relatives object. The law was first proposed in 2012.

Accordingly, starting from January 1, 2019, all residents of the second largest island nation in the North Atlantic will become default organ donors after death.

Thus, with the passage of the new organ donation law, Iceland has become one of the countries in the world with such a "default" organ donation law, including Singapore and many European countries such as Austria, Belgium, Italy, Greece, Switzerland, and Spain.