7 'hot' world events in the past 24 hours

(Baonghean.vn) - South Korea and the US begin large-scale air force exercises; Russia lists foreign media agencies; Spanish court orders continued detention of 4 former Catalan leaders; ... are outstanding international news in the past 24 hours.

1. South Korea and the US begin large-scale air force exercises

US F-22 Raptor stealth fighter. Photo: Yonhap

On the morning of December 4, the South Korean and US air forces began a large-scale five-day joint exercise, with the participation of dozens of stealth fighter jets, to deal with threats from North Korea.

The Vigilant Ace exercise comes less than a week after North Korea launched an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) and declared it had perfected its nuclear force. Although it was planned before the launch, the exercise is attracting special attention from the press because it is the largest ever, with the participation of more than 230 aircraft and about 12,000 troops.

2. Japan's Senate strongly condemns North Korea's missile launch

Japanese soldiers. Photo: Ngokland.

On December 4, the Japanese Senate passed a resolution condemning North Korea for launching an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) that fell into Japan's exclusive economic zone on November 29.

On the one hand, the resolution calls on North Korea to stop all provocative actions and fully comply with relevant UN Security Council resolutions demanding that it abandon its nuclear missile development program; on the other hand, it also calls on the Japanese government to strongly strengthen unilateral sanctions against North Korea and be ready to deal with any unexpected situations to ensure the security and safety of the Japanese people.

3. Russia begins to list foreign media agencies

Voice of America Logo.

On December 4, the Russian Ministry of Justice listed a number of foreign media agencies as "foreign representative agencies" operating in Russia.

Russia's RIA news agency quoted a source from the Russian Parliament as saying that nine US media outlets, including Voice of America and Radio Liberty, will be included in this list.

The move by the Russian Ministry of Justice came just over a week after Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a new law on November 25 allowing the country's authorities to list foreign media outlets as "foreign representative agencies" operating in Russia.

This is a move in response to what Russia considers "unacceptable" US pressure on Russian media.

4. 93-year-old Prime Minister 'reappears' to run for election in Malaysia

Former Prime Minister Mahathir and his deputy Anwar (left) in 1997.

Malaysia's opposition alliance Pakatan Harapan has chosen former Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamed for the position of prime minister if they win the upcoming election.

The Star (Malaysia) said the choice was announced at the end of the opposition alliance's two-day event in Putrajaya. However, the newspaper also mentioned that the People's Justice Party's vice-president Chua Tian Chang "objected to the decision and refused to accept it as the final result." The People's Justice Party is one of four parties in the opposition alliance.

Former Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir is 93 years old. He held the position of Prime Minister of Malaysia for 22 years until stepping down in 2003 and was one of the most influential leaders in Asia. He is currently one of five leaders of the ruling coalition, which is full of anger with the current Prime Minister Najib Razak.

5. Spanish court orders continued detention of 4 former Catalan leaders

On December 4, the Spanish Supreme Court rejected the bail application and continued to detain the former Deputy President of Catalonia and three former senior leaders in the dismissed government to serve the investigation of their role in the region's illegal declaration of independence on October 27.

Specifically, former Catalan Deputy President Oriol Junquera, former interior minister Joaquim Forn and two other leaders of civil groups supporting independence for the autonomous region will continue to be detained.

Supreme Court Justice Pablo Llarena said the detainees were likely to repeat their criminal acts, causing "serious, direct and irreparable consequences" for the community.

6. Former Yemeni president assassinated by Houthi rebels

Saudi Arabian television channel Al Arabiya on December 4 quoted a source from the General People's Congress (GPC) party of former Yemeni president Ali Abdullah Saleh saying he was assassinated by a sniper.

Video posted on social media by Houthi rebels showed the body of a man resembling Saleh, dressed in grey clothes, lying in a blanket with a deep wound on his head.

Yemen's interior ministry, controlled by Houthis, announced on the rebel group's al-Masirah TV channel that "the crisis is over" and "their leader and his supporters have been eliminated", referring to Mr Saleh.

7. Vaccine scandal in the Philippines: President announces wide-scale investigation

Philippine Health Secretary Francisco Duque said he would monitor the condition of those who had taken the Dengvaxia vaccine to be ready to treat them if they suddenly fell ill.

The Philippine president's office has said it will investigate those involved in a dengue vaccine program that was suspended after it claimed thousands of lives.

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