Trump urges Ukraine to investigate Joe Biden's son; North Korea announces revised constitution

US President urges Ukraine to investigate rival Joe Biden's son

Mr. Joe Biden in a conversation with the American people. Photo: AP

The Wall Street Journal reported that US President Donald Trump repeatedly pressured Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy to investigate Hunter Biden, the son of Joe Biden, former US Vice President and Democratic presidential candidate.

According to the newspaper, during a phone call in July, the US President urged his Ukrainian counterpart about eight times, suggesting that Mr. Zelenskiy should cooperate with Mr. Trump's personal lawyer, Rudy Giuliani, to investigate Mr. Biden's son.

President Trump’s lawyer, Ruby Giuliani, accused Biden, as vice president, of trying to fire Ukrainian prosecutor Viktor Shokin, who was investigating Hunter Biden’s business dealings. Shokin was later removed from office in March 2016.

France deploys large security forces to prevent violent protests

French police deployed to prevent radical "Yellow Vest" protesters in the capital Paris on September 21. Photo: AFP/TTXVN

On September 21, more than 7,000 police officers were deployed in many areas of the French capital Paris to guard against possible violence by protesters of the "yellow vest" movement and against another anti-climate change march taking place at the same time.

Paris police have arrested dozens of radical “yellow vest” protesters. As of noon on September 21, hundreds of protesters had gathered on many streets. Authorities are still monitoring whether the “yellow vest” protest movement is at risk of re-emerging in the winter and early spring.

North Korean media publishes full text of revised constitution

Delegates attend the second session of the 14th Supreme People's Assembly (Parliament of North Korea) in Pyongyang on August 29. Photo: Yonhap/VNA

According to Yonhap, on September 21, a North Korean propaganda website published the full text of the country's revised constitution, apparently aimed at increasing the legitimacy of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un. The website called Naenara published the constitution that the 14th Supreme People's Assembly (SPA - National Assembly) revised during its second session late last month.

In the latest revision, Article 104 assigns new responsibilities to the chairman of the State Affairs Commission, North Korea's top government position, such as enacting laws and appointing or recalling diplomatic representatives abroad. The revised document also includes a new clause stating that the chairman of the State Affairs Commission will not be elected as a delegate to the SPA. Observers say this is a measure to emphasize that the chairman is a special position.

Syria announces shooting down 2 drones

A drone that Syrian state news agency said authorities had taken control of and dismantled was armed with cluster bombs on the edge of the Israeli Golan Heights, southern Syria, September 21, 2019. Photo: AP

Syria's SANA news agency reported on September 21 that the country's air defense forces shot down a drone in the southern province of Quneitra. This is the second drone downing in the area in the past 48 hours. According to local officials, the drone was shot down near Jaba al-Sheikh, in the countryside of Quneitra province, southwest of the capital Damascus. The drone was loaded with bombs and C4 explosives. The origin of the drone is currently unknown, although SANA said the drone "came from the West".

Previously, on September 19, Syrian air defense forces also shot down a drone in the village of Aqraba, southeast of Damascus. The origin of the drone is also currently unknown.

US and El Salvador sign agreement on immigration

Central American migrants travel through Huehuetan, Chiapas state (Mexico) on their journey to the US on April 15, 2019. Photo: AFP/TTXVN

The United States and El Salvador have reached an agreement to curb the flow of Central American migrants, the information was announced at a joint press conference between Acting US Secretary of Homeland Security Kevin McAleenan and El Salvador Foreign Minister Alexandra Hill. The agreement will only take effect after both countries implement new asylum and border security procedures. This is considered the latest step by the Trump administration to limit the flow of immigrants to the United States, by relying on neighboring countries to receive migrants, also known as the "safe third country" policy.

A “safe third country” is a country that is a transit country for migrants heading to the United States and grants asylum while they legally enter the United States. The new measure is aimed primarily at people from Central American countries such as Honduras, Guatemala and El Salvador who are seeking asylum in the United States.