North Korea won't give up nuclear weapons; Trump's parents-in-law granted US citizenship
(Baonghean.vn) - The world over the past 24 hours has been filled with many events such as: The US doubled tariffs on Turkish aluminum and steel; North Korea affirmed that it would not give up nuclear technology; Former Malaysian Prime Minister will be tried early next year; President Trump's parents-in-law were officially granted US citizenship...
US doubles tariffs on Turkish aluminum and steel
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The US President decided to impose a 20% tax on aluminum and a 50% tax on steel imported from Türkiye. Photo: KT |
US President Donald Trump said he had ordered higher tariffs on imports from Türkiye, imposing a 20% tariff on aluminum and a 50% tariff on steel imports.
The move marks a new escalation in tensions between the two NATO allies, which have been exacerbated by the detention of an American priest and other diplomatic disagreements. In his statement, the US President also affirmed that the relationship between the two sides is not good at this time.
The US President's announcement came less than an hour after Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan urged his people to defend the country against economic attacks.
Russian President meets with Security Council on new US sanctions
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| President Vladimir Putin. Photo: AFP/TTXVN |
On August 10, TASS news agency quoted Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov as saying that President Vladimir Putin discussed with members of the Russian Security Council about new US sanctions against Russia.
According to Mr. Peskov, in the above meeting, both President Putin and members of the Security Council criticized the latest US sanctions as "completely illegal" and contrary to international law.
Previously, on August 8, the US State Department announced new sanctions against Russia, after Washington accused Moscow of being behind the poisoning of former spy Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia in the British city of Salisbury in March. The new US sanctions are expected to take effect from August 22.
North Korea affirms it will not give up nuclear technology
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North Korean Foreign Minister Ri Yong-ho. Photo: Japan Times |
North Korean Foreign Minister Ri Yong-ho said that North Korea supports denuclearization, but still does not give up maintaining nuclear technology.
The statement by North Korean Foreign Minister Ri Yong-ho was made during a meeting with the Speaker of the Islamic Republic of Iran's Parliament Ali Ardeshir Larijani in Tehran. This is the first statement by North Korea to clearly state that the country still maintains nuclear technology since the US-North Korea nuclear talks took place in Singapore in June 2018.
Mr. Ri Yong-ho said that North Korea's main goal is to carry out the denuclearization process on the Korean Peninsula, but the US itself needs to ensure its promise. Mr. Ri also emphasized that North Korea will always be vigilant against the US.
Former Malaysian Prime Minister to be tried early next year
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| Former Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak (third right) arrives at the Anti-Corruption Commission office in Putrajaya on May 22. Source: AFP/TTXVN |
A Malaysian court on August 10 ruled that former Prime Minister Najib Razak must appear in court on February 12 next year on charges related to the multi-billion dollar loss scandal at the 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) state investment fund.
Judge Mohamad Nazlan Mohamad Ghazali said during pre-trial testimony on August 10 that the trial will begin on February 12, 2019, and last until March 29, 2019. If convicted, Mr. Najib faces many years in prison. Mr. Najib and his wife have been banned from leaving Malaysia.
Indonesia begins planning for post-earthquake reconstruction phase
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The scene of an earthquake in Indonesia. Photo: ABC |
Indonesian President Joko Widodo said on August 10 that after the emergency period is over, the government will plan for reconstruction, construction and repair of housing and service infrastructure for the area affected by the recent 6.9 magnitude earthquake.
However, the President also expressed concern that aftershocks from the earthquake could affect reconstruction activities. A series of new aftershocks also caused panic among residents in the area. About 75% of people's houses were damaged in northern Lombok.
Relief operations are underway. Mobile kitchens, food, medicine and drinking water are beginning to be distributed to thousands of evacuees in the area badly affected by the earthquake.
Taliban launches major offensive in eastern Afghanistan
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| The scene of destruction after a car bomb attack on the Rapid Response Police Complex in Pul-i-Alam, the capital of Logar province, Afghanistan. Photo: AFP/ VNA |
Ghazni police chief Farid Ahmad Mashal said Taliban gunmen launched the attack from multiple directions around Ghazni, the capital of the eastern Afghan province of the same name, on the night of August 9. Special police forces were deployed to the city to block the Taliban's advance. According to the source, as of noon on August 10, fighting between Taliban gunmen and Afghan security forces continued.
In a statement, the Taliban said they had captured most of the government buildings inside the city, and many people had been killed.
President Trump's parents-in-law officially granted US citizenship
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President Donald Trump's parents-in-law. Photo: CNN. |
President Donald Trump's parents-in-law Viktor and Amalija Knavs were officially granted citizenship on August 9. Viktor, 73, and Amalija Knavs, 71, from Slovenia, had previously been granted green cards and lived in the United States. They have been seen frequently in Washington, DC, since their son-in-law took office.
CNN, citing a well-informed source, said that Melania had sponsored her parents to get green cards - a type of card that allows them to live and work in the US indefinitely and paves the way for US citizenship. This is one of the mechanisms that President Donald Trump's administration is trying to eliminate because it believes it is harmful to the US.
New Zealand bans single-use plastic bags from 2019
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New Zealand banned single-use plastic bags from 2019.(Illustration: KT) |
New Zealand follows France and several other countries in deciding to ban single-use plastic bags starting in 2019.
In a speech given on September 10, New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said that using disposable plastic bags is a small act but causes serious damage to the aquatic environment.
According to statistics from the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), New Zealand is one of the countries with the most urban waste per capita in the world, in which the average New Zealander uses 154 single-use plastic bags in 1 year. This situation has led to the fact that in New Zealand, single-use plastic bags are one of the 5 most common types of waste found on beaches.
