Russia retaliates against Ukraine over diplomat expulsion; Philippines creates space agency
(Baonghean.vn) - Russia retaliates against Ukraine for expelling diplomats; North Korea warns South Korea will become a "bulletproof shield" if it allows the US to deploy missiles; Philippines establishes space agency; Al Shabaab attacks military base in southern Somalia... are the world's outstanding news in the past 24 hours.
Russia retaliates against Ukraine over diplomat expulsion
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Russian Foreign Ministry in Moscow. Illustration photo |
TASS quoted the Russian Foreign Ministry as saying that an employee of the Ukrainian Consulate General in St. Petersburg had been declared “persona non grata” and had to leave Russia. The information was released by the Russian Foreign Ministry in response to Kiev’s previous actions.
“In May 2019, the Ukrainian special services carried out a provocation, making an unfounded statement that an employee of the Russian Consulate General in Lvov was a “persona non grata”. They did not provide any evidence of “illegal activities” that went beyond the scope of his professional duties related to the work of the consular office,” the Russian Foreign Ministry stressed. According to the Russian Foreign Ministry, it was not until August 13 that the Ukrainian Security Service announced the incident. The Russian diplomat has now left Ukraine.
President Trump threatens to withdraw the US from the WTO if "forced to do so"
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US President Donald Trump. Photo: AP |
US President Donald Trump has threatened to withdraw the US from the World Trade Organization (WTO) if conditions do not improve. "We will leave if we have to," President Trump said during a conversation with workers during a visit to a Shell chemical plant in Pennsylvania. "We know they have ripped us off for many years and it will not happen again," the US president also declared.
President Trump has repeatedly attacked the WTO and threatened to withdraw from the organization, saying that the US has been treated unfairly and that Washington does not need to comply with WTO regulations. Trump has been particularly critical of the terms given to China when it joined the WTO, and has complained about Chinese companies "stealing" US technology.
North Korea warns South Korea will become a “bulletproof shield” if it allows the US to deploy missiles
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North Korean missile. Illustration photo |
North Korea warned South Korea not to allow the US to deploy intermediate-range missiles on its territory, saying such deployment would be a "reckless act of escalating tensions" in the region, the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported on August 14.
In a statement, KCNA stressed: "Plans to deploy new weapons on the territory of South Korea, including the US THAAD missile defense system, may lead to increased tensions in the region, as well as the start of a new Cold War and another arms race." In addition, KCNA also noted that South Korea needs to reconsider its plans "and reflect on the fact that it will pay a heavy price for its blind obedience."
Philippines establishes space agency
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| Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte. Photo: pcoo.gov.ph |
Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte has signed the Philippine Space Act, which establishes the Philippine Space Agency (PhilSA). Mr. Duterte stressed the need to establish a unified and coherent strategy for space exploitation, utilization and development to catch up with other countries in the field of space science and technology.
The Philippine Space Law also introduces the Philippine Space Development and Utilization Policy (also known as the Philippine Space Policy), which serves as the main strategic roadmap to support, strengthen and transform the Philippines into a space-capable nation within the next decade.
Notre Dame Cathedral still faces risk of collapse
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| Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris, France, partially destroyed after a fire, April 16, 2019. Photo: AFP/TTXVN |
The French government warned on August 14 that Notre Dame Cathedral is still at risk of collapsing, as parts of the cathedral have fallen during the recent heatwave in the country. The French Culture Ministry said that since the fire that broke out in April, work at Notre Dame Cathedral has so far focused on ensuring that the remaining structure does not collapse, and has not yet focused on restoring the architectural work.
In a report, Mediapart, a French investigative news site, claimed that the French Ministry of Culture had repeatedly ignored warnings from labor inspectors about the risk of lead exposure to workers involved in the cleanup. However, the ministry has denied the allegations and asserted that all relevant government agencies put the health and safety of workers involved in the Notre Dame cleanup as their top priority.
Al Shabaab attacks military base in southern Somalia
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| Somali soldiers investigate at the scene of a suicide bombing carried out by Al Shabab militants in the capital Mogadishu. Photo: AFP/TTXVN |
On August 14, a military base of the Somali government in the country's Lower Shabelle region was attacked by car bombs and gunfire. Residents living in the area said the attack took place in Awdhigle district, along the Shabelle River, 70 km southwest of the capital Mogadishu. A resident in Awdhigle said: "We heard two loud explosions, along with gunfire from the direction of the Somali military base. I saw some soldiers running away from the base, but we cannot tell how many people were killed."
The militant group Al Shabaab has claimed responsibility for the attack, saying 50 government soldiers and two Al Shabaab gunmen were killed in the attack. Somali government officials have not commented on the attack or confirmed the number of casualties.
