Trump signs executive order paving way for Huawei ban; Canada and Philippines in tension over… waste

President Trump signs executive order paving the way to ban Huawei

The US has long been actively lobbying its allies not to use Huawei equipment in their 5G networks. Photo: Reuters

President Donald Trump signed an executive order on May 15 banning US companies from using telecommunications equipment provided by foreign companies that pose a national security risk, paving the way for a ban on Huawei Technologies Co. products. Hours later, the US Commerce Department announced that it had added Huawei and 70 affiliates to the so-called “Entity List,” a move that prohibits the group from acquiring components and technology from US companies without Washington’s approval.

US Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross said in a statement that President Trump backed the decision to “prevent US technology from being used by foreign companies in ways that threaten to harm US national security or foreign policy interests,” according to Reuters.

The inauguration of new President Zelensky will be held on May 20.

Newly elected President Vladimir Zelensky. Photo: Sputnik

Ukraine's parliament has set the date for the inauguration of President-elect Vladimir Zelensky as May 20, three and a half weeks after the election. The decision was supported by 315 lawmakers at a meeting on Thursday, with the minimum vote needed being 226.

Previously, seven resolutions on holding the inauguration of Mr. Zelensky were registered in the Rada on May 17, 19, 20, 26 and 28, and June 1. Mr. Zelensky himself insisted on being sworn in on May 19 and believed that the current authorities were trying to delay the inauguration date in order to deprive him of the right to dissolve the Verkhovna Rada during the legislative term.

Canada and the Philippines are in tension over… waste.

A container of waste sent by a Canadian individual to the Philippines in 2013 and 2014. Photo: PhilStar

Philippine Foreign Secretary Teodoro Locsin announced on May 16 that the country would reduce its diplomatic presence in Canada until the waste was returned to Canada. The announcement came after the Philippines had set a May 15 deadline for Canada to take back all of the waste.

The Philippines has previously sent diplomatic notes to Canada to protest the waste. According to the customs declaration, the containers contained plastic waste imported into the Philippines between 2013 and 2014 for recycling. However, in reality, the containers contained both household and electronic waste.

The Canadian government has maintained that this was an unsanctioned commercial transaction. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has said he would take back the trash, but the process has been slow, leading to an escalation of the trash problem with Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte threatening to “declare war” if Canada does not act.

Venezuela accuses CIA of trying to bribe military leaders

Photo: AP

Jorge Valero, Venezuela's ambassador to the United Nations in Geneva, has spoken of the active presence of the CIA in Venezuela and its attempts to bribe the country's military leadership. "(US President Donald) Trump wants to change the regime through a coup. That is why the CIA is present in significant numbers in Venezuela. The CIA tried to bribe senior military officers, but they did not succeed," Valero said at a press conference in Geneva.

In Venezuela, on January 21, a series of massive protests began to emerge against President Nicolas Maduro shortly after he was sworn in. The head of the opposition-controlled National Assembly, Juan Guaido, declared himself the country's interim president.

Malaysian police arrest 3 suspects plotting terrorist attack

Terrorist suspects arrested. Photo: thestar

Malaysian police confirmed on May 16 that they had arrested three people "infected with the ideology" of the self-proclaimed Islamic State (IS) terrorist organization for allegedly plotting attacks on non-Muslim places of worship in Malaysia and Indonesia.

One of the suspects, Indonesian Nuruddin Alele, was arrested outside the capital Kuala Lumpur after police were tipped off about his location, according to Malaysia's Inspector General of Police Abdul Hamid Bador. He was exposed to IS ideology during his five-year prison term in Indonesia, and is believed to have been involved in a plot to kill senior officials and attack Christian, Hindu and Buddhist places of worship and entertainment venues around Kuala Lumpur.

Two other suspects, Muhammad Syazani Mahzan and Muhamad Nuuurul Amin Azizan, both Malaysians, were arrested on May 14 in the northern state of Kedah.