Trump hints at possibility of negotiations with North Korean leader
US President Donald Trump said on August 17 (local time) that North Korean leader Kim Jong Un had responded to his recent offers.
Mr. Trump has met the North Korean leader 3 times in his first term at the White House but has not met again in his second term.
When asked why Kim Jong Un has not responded to his call since returning to power last year, Mr. Trump told reporters in the Oval Office: "How do you know he hasn't answered?".
When pressed about whether Kim Jong Un would actually answer, Mr. Trump said: "Yes, he answered". When asked about the content of the exchange, Mr. Trump said "very positive" but did not provide any further details.
The US President then continued to praise the North Korean leader, saying that the relationship between the two had reduced tensions.
You see, actually I am making the situation much safer. Mr. Kim Jong Un always treated me very respectfully. I understand him. He understands me" - Mr. Trump emphasized.
The information was released one day after he scaled down US military exercises with South Korea and praised his relationship with the North Korean leader.
Canada announces 50 billion USD plan to promote clean energy
Canadian officials on August 17 (local time) announced plans to sharply increase wind and hydropower production in the east of the country. Ottawa called the project "the largest clean energy investment in North American history".
The preliminary agreement between the government of Prime Minister Mark Carney, Quebec province as well as Newfoundland and Labrador marks a major effort to increase electricity production.
This project includes a plan to upgrade the Churchill Falls power plant and develop a new hydropower project on Gull Island. Both locations are located in Labrador, on the Atlantic coast of Canada.
A portion of the newly generated electricity will also be transmitted to Quebec, in which the Hydro-Quebec power company sells a significant amount of electricity to the northeastern United States.
Mr. Carney's office estimates the total investment in this project to be nearly 70 billion Canadian dollars (50.5 billion USD).
Disarmament of Hamas could begin within 30 days
US President Donald Trump's special envoy - Mr. Jared Kushner - said that the process towards disarmament of Hamas and promoting the Gaza peace plan could begin within a month.
We can see progress in just 30 days, hopefully starting to recover some weapons and fill some tunnels" - Mr. Kushner said in Tel Aviv after meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
In the meeting, Mr. Kushner and Mr. Netanyahu agreed that a US general would confirm Hamas's disarmament and Mr. Netanyahu affirmed that there would be no Israel withdrawal from Gaza until then, an Israeli official noted.
Mr. Kushner met with the Israeli leader in Jerusalem a day after conducting direct talks with Hamas in Egypt.
According to the roadmap agreed upon by Hamas on July 30, disarmament will be monitored by the International Task Force. This is a newly established unit to be deployed to Gaza if the situation calms down. This force is commanded by US Major General Jasper Jeffers.
