Russia provides $43 million in aid to Cuba; North Korea remains silent on summit with US
(Baonghean.vn) - North Korea remains silent about the second summit with the US; Russia approves a $43 million loan to support Cuba in modernizing its military; US Governor withdraws troops from the border with Mexico; Slovakia does not recognize Venezuela's self-proclaimed president... are the world's outstanding news in the past 24 hours.
Russia approves $43 million loan to help Cuba modernize its military
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| Russian President Vladimir Putin and Cuban President of the Council of State and Council of Ministers Miguel Diaz-Canel. Source: Reuters |
Russia has approved a loan worth 38 million euros (more than 43 million USD) to support Cuba's defense sector. Russia's Kommersant newspaper on February 6 quoted the head of the Russian Federal Service for Military-Technical Cooperation Dmitry Shugayev as saying that Moscow had decided to grant the loan to Havana, according to the content of the agreement first announced after a meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Cuban President of the State Council and Council of Ministers Miguel Diaz-Canel in Moscow in November 2018.
Previously, Kommersant newspaper reported that Moscow planned to support Cuba with a loan to modernize military equipment for its army such as tanks, armored vehicles and helicopters.
US governor withdraws troops from border with Mexico
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US soldiers practice on the border with Mexico in New Mexico. Photo:Reuters |
New Mexico Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham has ordered the withdrawal of 118 US National Guard troops stationed at the southern border with Mexico.AFP"I reject the notion that there is a major national security crisis on the southern border, which includes some of the safest communities in America," Ms. Grisham said. The troops being withdrawn are mostly from New Mexico and troops from Arkansas, Kansas, Kentucky, New Hampshire, South Carolina and Wisconsin. Ms. Grisham said some troops will remain to provide humanitarian assistance to communities in the area, "supporting our neighbors and the vulnerable at the border."
The governor said the state would only deploy its forces when necessary, when their presence could make a real difference in ensuring public safety and alleviating humanitarian concerns at the southern border. "New Mexico will not participate in the President's border charade of misusing our hard-working guardsmen," Grisham said.
North Korea remains silent on second summit with US
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| North Korean leader reads 2019 New Year message. Photo: AP/TTXVN |
According to Yonhap, on February 7, North Korean media remained silent about the second summit between leader Kim Jong-un and US President Donald Trump, despite the US leader announcing the time and location of the event.
In his State of the Union address on February 5, President Trump announced that his second summit with leader Kim Jong-un will be held in Vietnam from February 27 to 28. Meanwhile, North Korean state media, including the main newspaper Rodong Sinmun and the Korean Central News Agency, did not report any information related to this important event. North Korea also remained silent on the news that US Special Envoy for North Korea Stephen Biegun was visiting Pyongyang.
Slovakia does not recognize Venezuela's self-proclaimed president
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Venezuela's "self-proclaimed president" Juan Guaido. Photo:Reuters. |
Slovakia on February 6 refused to recognize opposition leader Juan Guaido as Venezuela's legitimate president. Together with Italy, Slovakia went against the policy of about 20 European Union (EU) countries, including the UK, Germany, France and Spain, as well as the US,Reutersreport
Slovakia's Foreign Ministry said last week that it recognized Venezuelan National Assembly President Guaido as the only legitimate representative of the country's people and called for new elections. However, Foreign Minister Miroslav Lajcak was unable to get support from two of the three coalition parties for the decision. Left-wing Smer party leader Robert Fico said he saw the current situation in Venezuela as an attempt to destroy the current government. "Slovakia should act in accordance with international law," he said. The Slovak Nationalist Coalition (SNS) also said Slovakia should remain neutral, while the Hungarian Most-Hid party supported the EU's position.
President Trump sets date to wipe out IS in Syria
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| President Trump speaks in Washington DC on February 6. Photo: Reuters |
Speaking at an international forum on the fight against IS in Washington DC on February 6, US President Donald Trump said that the US military and its allies had "liberated almost all of the territory in Iraq and Syria from IS". "The official announcement that we have 100% of the territory (from IS) should be made next week. I want to wait until the official time. I don't want to say it too soon," AFP quoted President Trump.
According to the owner of the White House, IS only has “remnants” left but can still be very dangerous. The leader pledged that the US will do everything to eliminate the last member of IS, at the same time calling on other countries to join forces, including contributing more financially.
Thailand: Thousands of candidates register to run for election
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| Photo for illustration purposes only. Source: Mainichi |
From the start of the candidate registration process (February 4) to the end of February 6, 66 political parties in Thailand have registered 7,409 candidates for the House of Representatives to run for election according to party lists and constituencies in the general election, scheduled to take place on March 24.
According to a VNA correspondent in Bangkok, Secretary General of the Election Commission of Thailand (EC) Jarungvith Phumma said that political parties are recommended to submit their lists of candidates to the EC no later than February 7, one day before the deadline (February 8). Eight more political parties have also submitted their lists of candidates, bringing the total number of candidates to 579, with 10 parties registered. So far, seven parties have submitted their lists of prime ministerial candidates to the EC.