World and series of outstanding events last week

1. International Workers' Day protests turn violent

A car is burned outside a shop in Paris during a May Day protest. Photo:Reuters

While workers in many countries around the world held rallies to celebrate International Workers' Day on May 1 with many solemn, large-scale activities, in some places, the protests turned violent by extremists.

In France, hundreds of people smashed shops, set cars on fire and threw rocks at riot police in Paris during a May Day protest against President Emmanuel Macron’s economic reforms. Police used tear gas and water cannons to disperse the crowd. More than 200 protesters were arrested and four people suffered minor injuries.

Conflicts between protesters and police also took place in several countries such as Türkiye, Poland, Puerto Rico...

2. Practical steps after the historic North Korea-South Korea summit

North Korea and South Korea on May 1 jointly dismantled propaganda loudspeakers installed along their border. This is the latest step towards reconciliation between the two countries, following the historic summit between North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and South Korean President Moon Jae-in on April 27.

North Korea has also begun dismantling its Punggye-ri nuclear test site by removing support systems in the tunnels. The removal of cables from the tunnels at Punggye-ri is believed to be the beginning of the process of decommissioning the only nuclear test site in North Korea. Mr. Kim announced that he would invite experts and journalists from the US and South Korea to the country to witness and ensure "transparency" when closing the nuclear test site.

On May 5, the North Korean state news agency (KCNA)The country announced that it would move its clock forward 30 minutes to match South Korea's time zone.

On the same day, four South Korean ministers, including Defense Minister Song Young-moo, Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha, Unification Minister Cho Myoung-gyon and Oceans Minister Kim Young-choon, visited Yeonpyeong and Baengnyeong islands on the western border of South Korea to collect public opinions on the agreement to establish a maritime peace zone.

3. Trade negotiations between the US and China

On May 5, a high-level trade delegation from the United States and Chinese officials concluded two days of talks to resolve the trade deficit between the world’s two largest economies. The talks did not reach any agreement and the two sides did not schedule a follow-up meeting.

The talks will be the highest-level meeting between the two countries since President Trump announced tariffs on $50 billion worth of Chinese imports in early April.

This is considered a move to punish China for its unfair treatment in promoting the development of high-tech industries. Specifically, Mr. Trump accused Beijing of violating intellectual property rights and forcing the US to transfer advanced technologies.

Beijing quickly retaliated by imposing tariffs on $50 billion worth of US goods, including cars, aircraft, and some agricultural products. President Trump then threatened to impose tariffs on China on an additional $100 billion.

4. IS carries out terrorist bombings in many countries

Police help victims of double bombings in Kabul. Photo:Reuters.

On April 30, in Kabul, Afghanistan, a suicide bomber drove a motorbike and blew himself up, and about 20 minutes later, another bomber walked into a crowd of journalists covering the event and also blew himself up. Twenty-nine people were killed, nine of them journalists. This was the deadliest attack on media workers in Afghanistan since 2001.

On May 2, a group of rebels attacked the office of the Libyan Election Commission in the capital Tripoli, and clashes broke out between the attackers and security forces before a suicide bomber detonated an explosive device inside the commission, killing 14 people. The self-proclaimed Islamic State (IS) terrorist organization claimed responsibility for the suicide bombing.

The Russian Federal Security Service (FSB) announced that it had just arrested at least five members of a terrorist group run by the self-proclaimed Islamic State (IS) organization while they were planning to carry out attacks in many areas across the country. These terrorists possessed a large amount of weapons and homemade explosive devices. During the process of arresting the above subjects, the authorities discovered a warehouse containing homemade explosive devices, along with many weapons and ammunition.

5. The Israeli-Palestinian conflict in the Gaza Strip continues

Violent protests in the Gaza Strip. Photo: AP

Clashes broke out on the afternoon of May 4, just after Friday prayers ended. Israeli soldiers fired tear gas and live ammunition at hundreds of Palestinian protesters to prevent them from advancing towards the border fence between the eastern Gaza Strip and Israel.

This protest is part of an anti-Israel march campaign that Palestinians call the “Great March of Return,” which began on March 30 and culminated on May 15, the day 70 years ago that Israel declared independence, while Palestinians call it Nakba Day.

6. Basque separatist organization ETA completely disbands

The Basque separatist group ETA has announced that it has completely dissolved, ending its four-decade-long armed campaign for independence for the Basque Country, a region in northern Spain and southwestern France. ETA said it has completely dissolved all of its divisions.

ETA was founded in 1959 by General Francisco Franco to fight for the independence of the Basque Country. To achieve this goal, ETA carried out many bloody acts of violence, claiming the lives of at least 829 people. By 2011, ETA agreed to end its hostile activities against the Spanish and French governments but did not agree to disarm.

In early April, ETA completed its disarmament process. On April 20, ETA publicly admitted its mistakes for the first time and asked for forgiveness for the pain it had caused through its campaign for independence.