UAE suspends trade with Iran after missile attack allegations
According to Xinhua News Agency, the Foreign Ministry of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) said on August 19 (local time) that the country has suspended all trade, goods exchange and financial transactions with Iran until further notice.
Earlier on August 18, the UAE Ministry of Defense accused Iran of launching 2 ballistic missiles aimed at maritime activities. The first one fell outside territorial waters, while the second one fell in UAE territorial waters.
In response to the above move by Abu Dhabi, Tehran issued a statement rejecting UAE accusations that Iran launched missiles towards this country.
In a statement, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei said that the UAE's actions have damaged trust and security efforts in the Middle East, and called on countries in the region to avoid making unfounded accusations.
US sanctions International Criminal Court President
Xinhua News Agency reported that the administration of US President Donald Trump on August 18 (local time) imposed sanctions on the President of the International Criminal Court (ICC) and a senior court lawyer.
This move is the latest escalation in the context of the US intensifying its campaign against the ICC based in The Hague (Netherlands).
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said that the sanctions targeted Ms. Tomoko Akane - a Japanese judge currently serving as President of the ICC and the court's senior Senegalese trial lawyer, Mr. Abdoulaye Seye.
These individuals have directly participated in the ICC's efforts to investigate, arrest, detain or prosecute officials whose governments do not approve of the ICC's authority," Mr. Rubio said.
For its part, the ICC affirmed that the court has jurisdiction over the crimes accused of occurring in the territory of member states, regardless of the nationality of the suspect.
5.6 magnitude earthquake occurs in Qinghai, northwest China
The China Earthquake Network Center (CENC) said that an earthquake of magnitude 5.6 shook Haixi Autonomous Prefecture, Qinghai Province, northwest China, at 5:36 am (local time) on August 19.
According to the CENC, the epicenter of the earthquake was determined to be 37.81 degrees North latitude and 95.63 degrees East longitude, with the epicenter located at a depth of 10km.
