News Headlines - 02 August 2019
▽Japan officially approves scrubbing South Korea from 'white list' of countries | The Japan Times
The Cabinet on Friday formally approved ejecting South Korea from the so-called white list of countries entitled to receive preferential treatment in trade, further aggravating an already highly strained bilateral relationship.
In response, South Korean President Moon Jae-in immediately pledged to take “corresponding” countermeasures for what he described as a “reckless” and “selfish” decision by Japan.
▽U.S. Withdrawal from the INF Treaty on August 2, 2019 - United States Department of State
On February 2, 2019, the United States provided its six-month notice of withdrawal from the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty due to the Russian Federation’s continuing violation of the treaty.
The U.S. withdrawal pursuant to Article XV of the treaty takes effect today because Russia failed to return to full and verified compliance through the destruction of its noncompliant missile system-the SSC-8 or 9M729 ground-launched, intermediate-range cruise missile.
Russia is solely responsible for the treaty’s demise. Dating back to at least the mid-2000s, Russia developed, produced, flight tested, and has now fielded multiple battalions of its noncompliant missile.
Three veteran officers who quickly responded to the mass shooting at the Gilroy Garlic Festival in northern California on Sunday are "heroes," the city's police chief said.
Chief Scot Smithee on Thursday identified the officers as Eric Cryar, a 23-year law enforcement veteran; Hugo Del Moral, a 17-year veteran and Robert Basuino, a 13-year veteran of the Gilroy department.
The three officers who were already on the scene killed the gunman, who shot dead three people and injured more than a dozen others at the festival on Sunday.
▽Holiday Inn owner to ditch mini toiletries from 5,000 hotels | Business | The Guardian
InterContinental Hotels Group is ditching miniature shampoo, conditioner and body-wash bottles across its 5,000-plus sites worldwide to reduce plastic waste.
The owner of the Holiday Inn, Crowne Plaza and InterContinental chains will switch to bulk dispensers, refillable bottles and ceramic containers by the end of 2021.
Hotels accounting for a third of the InterContinental group, including some Holiday Inn Express sites in the Americas, Kimpton in London, the Six Senses resort spas and newer brands Voco, Even and Avid have successfully switched to bulk dispensers or refillable containers.
▽Brazil feels pressure over Amazon deforestation data - Reuters
Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro said on Thursday that if a senior government scientist had betrayed his confidence regarding deforestation data, he would be fired, underlining how growing international pressure to protect the Amazon is weighing on his government.
Bolsonaro made the comments during a tense news conference in Brasilia. He and members of his cabinet pushed back against reports of a recent spike in deforestation in the Amazon, without giving their own assessment of the trend.
