SATURDAY, AUGUST 11, 2018 08

Russia, China block US bid to slap N.Korea More US sanctions would be AFP| United Nations

ussia and China yes - Rterday blocked a US re- quest to add a Russian bank ‘economic war’: Medvedev to a UN sanctions blacklist along with a North Kore- | The ruble fell further Friday an official and two entities, morning, reaching its lowest diplomats said. ussia warned yesterday level since August 2016, before The United States last that if the US followed rebounding slightly. While I don’t want week asked a UN sanctions Rthrough with threats to The central bank in a state- to comment on committee to slap an assets impose further harsh economic ment said it was following the the talk about freeze on Agrosoyuz Com- sanctions it would be seen as a situation and had the necessary future sanctions, mercial Bank for allegedly “declaration of economic war”. instruments to react. I can say that if helping North Korea evade The warning by Prime Min- It said the situation was a we end up with UN-imposed restrictions on ister Dmitry Medvedev came “natural reaction of the finan- financial transactions. after Washington unveiled a raft cial market to news about new something like a The request also targeted of new sanctions against Russia potential sanctions”. ban on banking Ri Jong Won, the deputy over its alleged use of the Novi- Previously, similar periods of activities or the representative of North Ko- chok nerve agent against a for- volatility were “temporary in use of certain rea’s Foreign Trade Bank mer double agent which Britain nature,” it said. currencies, we can and two North Korean front has blamed on Moscow. clearly call this companies. The incident, which took Further sanctions loom? In a response to the coun- place in Salisbury in southern A second round of sanctions a declaration of cil, Russia raised doubts England in March, triggered a that could go into effect 90 days economic war about the allegations while major diplomatic crisis despite later would cut far deeper, in- DMITRY MEDVEDEV China told the council that Russia’s denial of any role. cluding blocking all American PRIME MINISTER OF RUSSIA it objected to the proposed Announced late on Wednes- Dmitry Medvedev bank loans to Russian entities, sanctions designations day, the first set of sanctions, an outright ban on US exports to put forward by the United which will take effect in just un- Russia, and suspension of diplo- probe whether his election cam- States. der two weeks, impose a ban on use of certain currencies, we can matic relations. paign colluded with Russia. the export to Russia of “national clearly call this a declaration of The State Department said the According to the 1991 Act, the security sensitive” US technol- economic war,” Medvedev was sanctions were aimed at punish- president is to tighten the pen- ogies. quoted as saying by the Interfax ing Moscow for having “used alties within 90 days -- unless Japan economy Until now such exports had news agency. chemical or biological weap- the party in question provides been previously allowed on a KNOW WHAT “And we must absolutely re- ons in violation of internation- “reliable assurances” that it no returns to black case-by-case basis, with a senior spond to this war. By economic al law”, mandated under the longer engages in such activities, State Department official saying means, by political means and Chemical and Biological Weap- and allows on-site inspections AFP| Tokyo the move could cut off hundreds The warning by if necessary by other means,” ons and Warfare Elimination Act by United Nations observers. of millions of dollars worth of he added. of 1991. However the sanctions Russia had on Thursday re- apan’s economy returned exports to Russia. Prime Minister “Our American friends must announcement could bolster US sponded furiously to the sanc- Jto growth in the second “While I don’t want to com- Medvedev came understand this.” President Donald Trump’s claim tions, denouncing them as “cat- quarter following its first ment on the talk about future after Washington The announcement of the that his administration is taking egorically unacceptable” as the contraction in two years, of- sanctions, I can say that if we unveiled a raft of sanctions on Thursday prompt- a tough stance on Moscow, even markets tumbled and the ruble ficial figures showed Friday, end up with something like a new sanctions ed Russian stocks and the ruble as he continues to denounce as fell to its lowest level in almost but fears of US trade wars ban on banking activities or the to tumble. a “witch hunt” an independent two years. clouded the outlook. The world’s third-largest economy grew 0.5 percent quarter-on-quarter in the April-June period, com- Europe’s tallest pared with a 0.2-percent UAE to build oil pipeline decline in January-March, nears completion the Cabinet Office said. The figure -- annualised between Ethiopia, Eritrea he Lakhta Centre in St. Petersburg in Russia is set to be- at 1.9 percent -- was bet - Tcome Europe’s tallest skyscraper, overtaking Moscow’s ter than market consensus Federation Tower. It stands at 462 metres high, making it the of 0.3 percent growth, ac- Addis Ababa 13th tallest building in the world. cording to data compiled The RMJM-designed building takes the form of a spire with by Bloomberg News. Pri- he United Arab Emirates five wings that twist a total of 90 degrees from foundation to vate consumption, which T(UAE) will build a pipeline tip, making it one of the tallest examples of a twisted skyscraper, accounts for 60pc of Japan’s connecting Ethiopia to the Eri- according to online architecture magazine Dezeen. GDP, rose 0.7 percent, re- trean port of Assab, state media The 87-storey tower features a publicly accessible observation covering from a 0.2-percent reported yesterday. deck at 360 metres, and a planned restaurant with panoramic decline in the first quarter. The agreement was reported- views of the area. ly made during discussions in The building’s facade is made from 16,500 pieces of curved Addis Ababa between Ethiopi- glass, with a system of automatic shutters to make it energy an Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed efficient. Facebook moves and UAE Minister of Interna- The exterior is set for completion by the end of summer, while tional Cooperation Reem Al- Ethiopian Prime Minister Dr Abiy Ahmed met with Emirati State Minister for the interior fitting will continue into next year. Two thirds of the to stop sharing of Hashimy. International Cooperation, Reem Al Hashimi and discussed ways of increasing office space will be occupied by Russian energy giant Gazprom, The state-affiliated Fana the investment and consolidating the multifaceted bilateral ties between which will employ 8,000 workers at the site. 3D gun blueprints Broadcasting Corporate did not Ethiopia and the UAE. A third of the complex will be given over to public spaces, in- provide details on the agree- cludingEurope’s a science and tallest education tower centre, nears a spherical completion planetarium, AFP| San Francisco The Lakhta Centre in St. Petersburg in Russia is set to become Europe’s ment. In a surprise move in June, sumption of flights between a concerttallest skyscraper, hall, amphitheatre overtaking Moscow’s and several Federation squares. Tower. It stands at Landlocked Ethiopia used Ethiopia’s new reformist their capitals as well as the 462 metres high, making it the 13th tallest building in the world acebook on Thursday an oil refinery located in Assab Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed opening of embassies and LAKHTA CENTRE (87 floors) said it was moving port for its domestic oil needs announced he would final - phone lines.The UAE, which is Lakhta Centre F 5km Spire with five wings to prevent the sharing of before a two-year war over ly accept a 2002 United Na - reportedly using the Assab port twists 90 degrees 3 miles blueprints for 3D-printed the demarcation of the border tions-backed border demarca- to conduct military operations from foundation to tip. City Gulf of centre guns on the social network, broke out between the two tion, paving the way for peace against Houthi rebels in Yemen, Facade has 16,500 Finland pieces of curved glass which violates its rules on countries in 1998, leaving some between the two nations. has been seen as a key mediator ST. PETERSBURG regulated goods. 80,000 dead before settling into Reciprocal visits by the two in the diplomatic thaw between 357m-high and panoramic “Sharing instructions on a bitter cold war. nations’ leaders led to the re- Ethiopia and Eritrea. HOW IT COMPARES restaurant 828m (world’s tallest) how to manufacture fire- Offices: Energy giant Dubai, completed 2010 800m arms using 3D printers or Gazprom to occupy CNC two thirds of space Freedom Tower 540m milling machines is not New York City, 2014 allowed under our Commu- Energy: Insulating 700 nity Standards,” a Facebook UK economy gathers momentum double facade reduces Lakhta Centre costs of heating and 462m spokesman said in response air conditioning 600 Plan St. Petersburg, to an AFP inquiry. “In line AFP| London -- grew 0.4 percent in the three tion in Britain were boosted by Interior view 2018 with our policies, we are months to the end of June, the warm weather. area 500 removing this content from ritain’s economy picked up Office for National Statistics The economy meanwhile ap- 310m Facebook.”The social net- Bspeed to outpace the euro- (ONS) said in a statement. That peared to shrug off a string of London, 400 2012 work added it was working zone in the second quarter de- was in line with market expec- company collapses on the high Buffer out the range of website spite mounting concerns over tations, street, including budget chain zone 300 links or gun-printing con- Brexit, official data showed yes- Britain, which is scheduled Poundworld and electrical re- Multifunctional building tent that will be removed. terday, helped partly by sunny to leave the European Union tailer Maplin. World Cup rev- Public facilities include retail 200 Banning blueprints or in- weather and the World Cup next March, saw its economic ellers sent the cash tills ringing space, science and education structions for 3D-printed football tournament. activity outpace the eurozone as manager Gareth Southgate’s centre, sports 100 guns is in line with the so- Gross Domestic Product -- which grew 0.3 percent in the England team progressed to the complex and concert hall cial network’s rules on reg- the value of all goods and ser- same period. semi-finals at the tournament 0 ulated goods. vices produced in an economy Retail sales and construc- held in Russia. Sources: Dezeen, Lakhta Centre Multifunctional Complex © GRAPHIC NEWS