Ukraine's president-elect ready to negotiate with Russia; Australia to limit migrant numbers

Ukraine's president-elect ready to negotiate new conditions with Russia

President Volodymyr Zelensky and his supporters. Photo: THX/TTXVN

Ukrainian President-elect Volodymyr Zelenskiy announced on April 28 that he is ready to negotiate and discuss new conditions for coexistence between Ukraine and Russia. On his personal website, Mr. Zelenskiy emphasized his readiness for negotiations and expressed hope for Russia's moves at the upcoming Normandy Group meeting. The Ukrainian President-elect wrote: "For our part, we are ready to discuss new conditions for coexistence between Ukraine and Russia."

Mr. Zelenskiy believes that there should be no pressure on Ukraine and that this is the best way to ceasefire and implement the Minsk agreements on eastern Ukraine.

Iran warns of closing Strait of Hormuz if tensions rise

Chief of Staff of the Iranian Armed Forces, Major General Mohammad Bagheri. Photo: mehrnews

On April 28, Chief of Staff of the Iranian Armed Forces, General Mohammad Bagheri, warned that Tehran could close the Strait of Hormuz, a strategic shipping route, if there were increased hostilities against the country. Speaking to the semi-official ISNA news agency, General Bagheri said: "We have no intention of closing the Strait of Hormuz, but if the enemy's hostility increases, we will be able to do so." "If our oil is not transported through the Strait of Hormuz, then other countries' oil will not be able to pass through this strait," Mr. Bagheri affirmed.

The warning was issued in the context that the US Government on April 22 asked its partners to stop all trading activities with Iran before next May or face sanctions, thereby ending the 6-month sanction exemption that allowed 8 partners to import Iranian oil, mainly Asian countries.

Sri Lanka arrests two key suspects in Easter bombings

2 main suspects in the bombing in Sri Lanka. Photo: Newfirst

Sri Lankan police said on the evening of April 27 that they had arrested two main suspects in the series of deadly bomb blasts last weekend. The suspects, identified as Mohamed Saadik Abdul Haq and Mohamed Saahid Abdul Haq, were arrested near the town of Nawalapitiya, 125 km east of the capital Colombo. The two suspects have been handed over to the Sri Lankan Criminal Investigation Department.

A series of explosions in Sri Lanka on April 21, during Easter, left hundreds dead and injured. The Islamic State (IS) claimed responsibility for the attacks./.

Pilots not working, 72,000 passengers stranded in Europe

Passengers stranded at Copenhagen airport in Kastrup, Sweden. Photo: AFP/TTXVN

More than 1,400 pilots of the multinational airline Scandinavian Airlines went on strike to protest the company's salary and working conditions. Reuters quoted the announcement of the joint venture airline of Denmark, Norway and Sweden as saying that the strike caused 673 flights to be canceled, affecting more than 72,000 passengers.

The incident occurred after months of negotiations without finding a common voice, in which the Swedish Transport Companies Federation said it could not meet the demand for a 13% pay increase for pilots, while the pilots raised the main problem as unsatisfactory working conditions. If the strike lasts until April 28, it will affect 170,000 passengers and cause damage to the company of about 60-80 million SEK/day (147-196 billion VND).

Australian Prime Minister proposes "major reform" of immigration program

Australian Prime Minister Scott Morison has proposed a major overhaul of the country's immigration program. Speaking at an election event in Sydney on April 28, Prime Minister Morison pledged that the ruling Liberal Party (LNP) coalition would cap the number of migrants allowed into Australia each year for humanitarian reasons at 18,750 if elected to a third term in the federal election scheduled for May 18.