KIEV, May 29 -- Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky plans to make a working visit to Brussels on June 4 to hold meetings with top EU officials, Ukraine's Radio Svoboda said. "The visit will take place on June 4. Zelensky is expected to meet with top EU officials, including European Council President Donald Tusk and European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker," the radio station said. In addition, Zelensky may also meet with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg. Deputy Chief of the Ukrainian Presidential Office Vadim Pristaiko said on May 27 that Germany would be one of the first countries Zelensky would visit though a date for his visit hadn’t been finalized yet.
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KAWASAKI, May 28 -- Sixteen pupils waiting for their school bus and two parents of pupils who were nearby were stabbed by a man wielding knives in Kawasaki near Tokyo on Tuesday morning, leaving a girl and a man dead, police and school officials said. The 16 schoolgirls, pupils of Caritas elementary school, a private Catholic school in the city, were attacked by the suspect in his 50s, who was holding knives in both hands. The suspect died in hospital as a result of a self-inflicted stab wound to the neck, police said. A boy also sustained minor injuries in the attack, the police added. The incident occurred at around 7:40 a.m. on a street near a park in a residential area, about 250 meters from Noborito Station on East Japan Railway Co.'s Nambu Line and Odakyu Electric Railway Co.'s Odakyu Odawara Line. Officials at the school, which provides eight shuttle buses for pupils between the station and the school every morning on school days, said things went as usual until the fifth service. "I was standing at the front of the line of children waiting for the sixth bus, and when I finished helping around six children board the bus, I heard children screaming at the end of the line," said a school official in a press conference. The official said that was when he saw the suspect, holding "long knife-like objects in both hands," escaping on foot. As the bus driver got off and started to chase him, the official made an emergency call to police, he said. "The children did nothing wrong. I don't know what to do with my anger," another official told the news conference. The school will close through the end of this month. TOKYO, May 28 -- Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and U.S. President Donald Trump on Tuesday inspected the helicopter-carrying destroyer Kaga at the Maritime Self-Defense Force base in Yokosuka, south of Tokyo, in a demonstration of the deepening alliance between Japan and the United States. It was the first time a U.S. president has stepped aboard a Self-Defense Forces ship, according to the Japanese Defense Ministry. In an address to 500 Japanese and American troops, Abe said it was the first time the leaders of the two allies have together given words of encouragement to a combined group of their respective armed forces. "The Japan-U.S. alliance has become more robust than ever under the great partnership that President Trump and I have developed," Abe said on the final day of Trump's four-day state visit to Japan. Referring to a planned refurbishment of the Kaga, Abe expressed Japan's pledge to play its role "with unwavering commitment toward further strengthening the Japan-U.S. alliance." Japan plans to convert the Kaga into a carrier able to deploy F-35B stealth fighter jets it has committed to purchase from the United States, a move made in response to the rise of China and its growing assertiveness in the Indo-Pacific region. Abe thanked the U.S. forces in Japan for ensuring peace and stability and enhancing the regional deterrence provided by the alliance. Trump also underscored the strength of his nation's alliance with Japan and hailed its plan to purchase an additional 105 F-35As from the United States. "This purchase will give Japan the largest fleet of F-35s of any of our allies," he said. "And soon this very ship will be upgraded to carry that cutting-edge aircraft." AMSTERDAM, May 28 -- The working week in the Netherlands has begun with travel chaos. Public transport staff are staging a 24-hour strike which has brought almost all rail, tram, bus and ferry services to a standstill. As a result, Amsterdam Schiphol airport has instructed airlines to cancel dozens of flights – including many to and from the UK. The airport, which is normally well served by public transport from across the Netherlands and beyond, is fearing traffic gridlock as passengers switch to taxis or Uber. It is telling the public: “Do not travel to Schiphol unless absolutely necessary. “We expect high congestion on the roads to and from the airport.” Flybe has cancelled multiple services from Southampton, Birmingham, Manchester, Exeter and East Midlands to the Dutch airport. Four EasyJet flights linking Gatwick with Amsterdam have been grounded, with passengers told: “Amsterdam airport authorities have asked all airlines to reduce the number of flights arriving and departing at Amsterdam Schipol airport. ”This is in order to minimise the amount of passengers travelling to and from the airport. We understand that this is a frustrating situation.” The airline added: “In accordance with EU261 regulations, customers will not be entitled to claim for compensation as a result of the industrial action.” All Eurostar services from London St Pancras to Rotterdam and Amsterdam have been cancelled for the day. Passengers have been offered the option of travelling to Brussels, switch to an alternative day or get a full refund. Public transport workers are stopping work as part of a dispute over pension arrangements, and are demanding that retirement age remains at 66. NS, the national train operator, said: “We regrettably advise passengers not to travel by train. “As a result of industrial action across the entire public transport sector, there are very limited or no train services throughout the country today. “Where possible we will run trains. However this will be limited and unpredictable.” The operator hopes to run a limited rail service, four times an hour, between Schiphol airport and Amsterdam Centraal station from 5am to 9pm. Reports suggest that Uber’s surge pricing is increasing fares by 2.5 times. Staff employed by some local bus operators in Utrecht and some other small cities and towns are not striking. The Dutch motoring organisation, the ANWB, has called for commuters to work from home on Tuesday or, if that is not possible, to carshare. NS is warning that rail services will be hit knock-on effects on Wednesday as a result of the industrial action. MADRID, May 28 -- The National Police has arrested several alleged members of a criminal organization dedicated to match-fixing football First and Second Division to obtain benefits in sports betting. According to police sources, several footballers have been arrested in the operation, including former Real Madrid player Raúl Bravo, alleged ringleader of the organization; Borja Fernández, of the Real Valladolid Club de Fútbol; Carlos Aranda, former player of several First Division teams; Samuel Saiz Alonso, player of Getafe, and Íñigo López Montaña, player of Deportivo de La Coruña and ex-player of Huesca. Agustín Lasaosa, president of the Sociedad Deportiva Huesca, and Juan Carlos Galindo Lanuza, head of the medical services of the same club, have also been arrested. All detainees are accused of belonging to a criminal organization, corruption among private individuals and money laundering. VIENNA, May 28 -- Austrian President Alexander Van der Bellen told reporters on Monday he would on Tuesday remove from office the incumbent cabinet led by Chancellor Sebastian Kurz and appoint finance minister and vice-chancellor Hartwig Loger as the interim chancellor. "Tomorrow, in line with my powers, ..... I will relieve this government of its duties," Van der Bellen said. "As part of this process, I will vest vice-chancellor Hartwig Loger with the authority to head the federal chancellor’s office and to chair the interim government." Earlier, the lower chamber of the Austrian parliament supported a no-confidence motion to the Kurz-led cabinet amid a governmental crisis and the resignation of former vice-chancellor Heinz-Christian Strache. After that, Kurz told Van der Bellen he was ready to hand over his powers to a transitional government and support its work. SHANGHAI, May 27 -- China’s middle class, particularly better-educated white collar workers, are growing increasingly confused and anxious over how the trade war with the United States will affect the lives of ordinary citizens. In contrast to official press and social media which have been dominated by messages urging the country to stand strong in face of the adversity. Concerns about the impact of the trade war, combined with rising food prices, are already affecting consumers’ willingness to spend, which could cause a further deceleration in Chinese economic growth. These concerns may also increase efforts by the upper and upper middle classes to safeguard their wealth by buying gold or foreign currency and moving their wealth abroad. For China’s urban middle class, who have benefited from the country’s economic boom in the last few decades and may have taken it for granted that life would be better, the intensified rivalry between China and the US is bringing a strong sense of uncertainty about their future, pushing citizens to scramble for any information about the trade war away from the official propaganda rhetoric. “Please tell me the proper understanding of what the impact of the trade war will be on the lives of ordinary people like us. Thanks!” wrote Su Gengsheng, a popular online writer and blogger with more than 300,000 followers on China’s largest social media platform Weibo, four days after the US raised tariffs on US$200 million of Chinese imports.The post was unusual for Su’s extremely non-political account after she rose to popularity with cosmetics recommendations and make-up tips. However, the trade war question seemed to speak to the heart of the concerns shared by many of Su’s followers, and rapidly attracted thousands of replies and likes as well as more than 10,000 shares. Comments on the post were soon blocked because they “violated relevant laws and regulations”, although the original post was still visible. MONACO, May 26 -- Full race results for the the Monaco Grand Prix at the Circuit de Monaco, round six of the 2019 Formula 1 season. Formula 1 Monaco Grand Prix - Race Results
Charles Leclerc MON Scuderia Ferrari MONACO, May 26 -- Full results from qualifying for the the Monaco Grand Prix at the Circuit de Monaco, round six of the 2019 Formula 1 season. Formula 1 Monaco Grand Prix - Starting Grid
TOKYO, May 26 -- U.S. President Donald Trump attended a sumo tournament in Tokyo on Sunday, watching the action from a specially prepared seat near the ring, and will present an American-made trophy to the victor. Trump was hosted by Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on the final day of the Summer Grand Sumo Tournament at Ryogoku Kokugikan. He is expected to climb into the raised ring to present the newly made trophy, informally dubbed the "Trump Cup," to the winner at the conclusion of the 15-day meet. While spectators in ringside boxes normally sit on cushions with their legs crossed, tradition has been cast aside for Trump and his wife Melania, who will watch the final five bouts of the tournament perched on the specially installed chairs alongside Abe and his wife Akie. Trump, who is known for being a fan of combat sports, said in April that he has "always found that (sumo) fascinating," and revealed he would present a custom-made trophy to the tournament's winner. The White House said Saturday the trophy is about 137-centimeters tall and weighs between 27 and 31 kilograms. WASHINGTON, May 26 -- The only thing that can be negotiated with the Venezuelan government is the departure of incumbent Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, the US State Department said in a statement published on Saturday. The US expressed hope that the upcoming talks between members of the Venezuelan opposition and government officials in Oslo will focus on this issue. "The United States supports the desire of the Venezuelan people to recover their democracy and bring the illegitimate Maduro regime to an end. Previous efforts to negotiate an end to the regime and free elections have failed because the regime has used them to divide the opposition and gain time," the statement says. "Free elections cannot be overseen by a tyrant. As we have repeatedly stated, we believe the only thing to negotiate with Nicolas Maduro is the conditions of his departure. We hope the talks in Oslo will focus on that objective, and if they do, we hope progress will be possible," the US State Department continued. The US also demanded to release "800 political prisoners the Maduro regime held as of May 20". "We join supporters of democracy in Venezuela throughout the world in condemning their illegal imprisonment by the Maduro regime and in demanding their immediate release," the statement concluded. Situation in Venezuela Juan Guaido Venezuelan opposition leader and speaker of the National Assembly, whose appointment to that position had been cancelled by the country’s Supreme Court, declared himself interim president at a rally in the country’s capital, Caracas, on January 23. On the same day, the United States recognized him as an interim president, and the countries of the Lima Group (excluding Mexico) and the Organization of American States followed suit. Venezuela's incumbent President Nicolas Maduro blasted the move as an attempted coup and announced cutting diplomatic ties with the United States. Most European Union member states recognized Guaido as Venezuela’s interim president. Russia, Belarus, Bolivia, Iran, China, Cuba, Nicaragua, El Salvador, Syria and Turkey voiced support for Maduro. On April 30, a group of military representatives expressed support for Guaido, which started a wave of massive anti-government protests in the country. Five people died and hundreds were injured in clashed with law enforcement. Non-governmental organizations reported that nearly 340 protesters were detained. MONACO, May 25 -- Full results from qualifying for the the Monaco Grand Prix at the Circuit de Monaco, round six of the 2019 Formula 1 season. Formula 1 Monaco Grand Prix - Qualifying Results
PARIS, May 25 -- The chief of police in Paris has condemned calls by some Yellow Vest protestors to organise unauthorised demonstrations on the 28th Saturday of the protest movement. Saying that the authorities were aware of a movement on social media, calling on gilets jaunes to support undeclared demonstrations, the capital's police chief, Didier Lallement promised that unauthorised protests will be dealt with firmly. One march has been approved by Paris police for this 28th consecutive weekend of protest. That official demonstration is expected to leave the Père Lachaise cemetery in the north of the city around noon, and end at the Sacré Coeur church, also in northern Paris. However, calls on social media have asked protestors to gather in several other emblematic points in the city, advising them to avoid carrying anything that would alert police suspicions. Didier Lallement says his officers are ready to take action, anywhere in Paris. He believes that the change in strategy by some protest organisers is a reflection of the success with which the forces of order have controlled recent demonstrations. For the tenth consecutive Saturday, no public gathering will be permitted in the vicinity of the central Champs-Elysées shopping street, nor near the official presidential residence or the French parliament. The area around the fire-damaged Notre Dame cathedral is also closed to groups. MONACO, May 25 -- Full results from third practice for the Monaco Grand Prix at the Circuit de Monaco, round six of the 2019 Formula 1 season. Formula 1 Monaco Grand Prix - Free Practice 3 Results 1. Charles Leclerc MON Scuderia Ferrari 1m11.265s 2. Valtteri Bottas FIN Mercedes AMG Petronas Motorsport + 0.053s 3. Lewis Hamilton GBR Mercedes AMG Petronas Motorsport + 0.213s 4. Max Verstappen NED Aston Martin Red Bull Racing Honda + 0.274s 5. Pierre Gasly FRA Aston Martin Red Bull Racing Honda + 0.473s 6. Antonio Giovinazzi ITA Alfa Romeo Racing + 0.905s 7. Daniil Kvyat RUS Red Bull Toro Rosso Honda + 0.929s 8. Kimi Raikkonen ITA Alfa Romeo Racing + 1.043s 9. Alexander Albon THA Red Bull Toro Rosso Honda + 1.073s 10. Kevin Magnussen DEN Rich Energy Haas F1 Team + 1.121s 11. Nico Hulkenberg GER Renault F1 Team + 1.224s 12. Daniel Ricciardo AUS Renault F1 Team + 1.253s 13. Romain Grosjean FRA Rich Energy Haas F1 Team + 1.301s 14. Sebastian Vettel GER Scuderia Ferrari + 1.318s 15. Carlos Sainz ESP McLaren F1 Team + 1.597s 16. Lando Norris GBR McLaren F1 Team + 1.649s 17. Sergio Perez MEX SportPesa Racing Point F1 Team + 1.067s 18. Lance Stroll CAN SportPesa Racing Point F1 Team + 2.357s 19. Robert Kubica POL ROKiT Williams Racing + 2.821s 20. George Russell GBR ROKiT Williams Racing + 3.040s |
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