Trump to Depart for Vietnam on the Morning of February 25; Tensions Along the Venezuela-Colombia Border

Tensions flare along Venezuela-Colombia border

A truck carrying humanitarian goods was burned at the border between Venezuela and Colombia on February 23. Photo: AFP/TTXVN

A VNA correspondent in South America quoted sources from the border area between Venezuela and Colombia as saying that at least two trucks carrying humanitarian aid were burned at the border gate between the two countries in the context that the opposition is trying to find ways to bring aid into Venezuelan territory, despite the government's objections.

Telesur TV channel reported that the opposition extremists set fire to the two vehicles in order to blame the Venezuelan security forces and create an excuse to destabilize the situation. Information and images taken by Telesur reporters at the scene said that, with the support of opposition supporters, the trucks were trying to enter Venezuelan territory but were stopped and remained in Colombian territory. The extremists also threw homemade petrol bombs at the Venezuelan security forces to clear the way for the vehicles, but because they could not carry out their intention, they set fire themselves.

President Trump announces he is leaving for Vietnam to meet Kim

The US President said he will leave for Vietnam on the morning of February 25, and hopes for a good outcome at the summit with Kim Jong-un. "Had very productive discussions with China on trade yesterday. Will continue today. I will be leaving for Hanoi, Vietnam, tomorrow morning for a Summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, where we both expect to be able to build on the progress made at the first Summit in Singapore. Denuclearization?", US President Donald Trump wrote on Twitter at 4:58 a.m. on February 24.

The US-North Korea summit is scheduled to take place on February 27-28 in Hanoi. The Vietnamese Ministry of Foreign Affairs yesterday announced that North Korean leader Kim Jong-un will also pay an official friendship visit to Vietnam in the coming days at the invitation of General Secretary and President Nguyen Phu Trong. Kim Jong-un left Pyongyang by train on the afternoon of February 23.

Iran successfully test-fires cruise missile from submarine

Iranian submarine. Photo: Reuters

Iran successfully test-launched a cruise missile during naval exercises near the Strait of Hormuz, amid rising tensions with the United States, Reuters reported on February 24, citing Iran's official news agency IRNA.

"On the third day of the drills, an Iranian Ghadir-class naval submarine successfully launched a cruise missile," IRNA said.

Iran’s other submarines, the Tareq and the newly built Fateh, have similar anti-ship capabilities, IRNA reported, citing a military statement. Iranian state media also said more than 100 vessels were taking part in the three-day drills, which spanned a vast area from the Strait of Hormuz to the Indian Ocean.

Saudi Arabia appoints Princess Reema as Ambassador to the US

On February 24, Saudi Arabia appointed Princess Reema bint Bandar as ambassador to the United States. This is the first time in the history of the country that a woman has held the role of a high-ranking diplomatic ambassador. A royal decree from Saudi Arabia appointed Princess Reema bint Bandar to replace Prince Khalid bin Salman as ambassador to the United States.

In a post on her personal Twitter page, Princess Reema bint Bandar thanked Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman for trusting her with the position. Princess Reema bint Bandar is the daughter of former long-time ambassador Bandar bin Sultan Al Saud, who was Saudi Arabia's ambassador to the United States from 1983 to 2005.

Nearly 3.3 million Moldovan voters go to the polls in general elections

Moldovan voters cast their ballots at a polling station in Chisinau on February 24. Photo: AFP/VNA

According to the VNA correspondent of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), at 7 a.m. local time (12 p.m. Hanoi time), 2,141 polling stations in Moldova and abroad opened to welcome voters in the general election on February 24. According to statistics from the National Registration Committee, 3,265,997 voters nationwide went to the polls.

This is the first time Moldova has held a mixed election – 51 MPs will be elected by district, 50 by party list. This election also applies many new regulations, abolishing the regulation on compulsory voter turnout, abolishing the regulation on “quiet days” when campaigning is allowed on the day of the election, except in the polling station.