8 "hot" world events in the past 24 hours

1. Mr. Kim Jong-un ordered the emergency opening of a hotline with South Korea.

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un during a border inspection. Photo: Yonhap

YonhapCiting information from North Korean state television, North Korea will reopen the dialogue line with North Korea at the Panmunjom truce village at 3 p.m. on January 3 local time.

"In line with the leadership's instructions, we will sincerely resume communication lines with South Korea. We will discuss issues related to the possibility of sending a delegation (to the Winter Olympics in South Korea)," said Ri Son-gwon, head of North Korea's agency in charge of inter-Korean affairs.

On the same day, the South Korean presidential office welcomed North Korea's plan to reopen a hotline between the two countries, calling it a "very significant" step toward direct and regular dialogue on the Korean Peninsula.

2. Bus plunges off cliff in Peru, nearly 50 people dead

The car was crushed when it fell onto the beach. Photo: Reuters

Peruvian police said the death toll from a bus crash in the country on January 2 has risen to 48.

The tragic accident occurred at 11:45 a.m. on January 2, when a bus carrying 53 passengers traveling from Huacho to Lima veered off the road and collided with a truck. The bus overturned and fell down a 100-meter-deep cliff on a curve on the Pasamayo Highway, near the northern coast of the capital Lima.

Rescuers have deployed helicopters and rescue vehicles to the scene of the accident to rescue those still trapped in the bus. Police are investigating the cause of the incident and identifying the victims.

3. Ship sinks in China, 10 people missing

Rescue forces salvage the ship in distress.

A cargo ship capsized and sank off the coast of the Chinese city of Shanghai and a deadly bus crash in Peru left dozens dead.

According to the Shanghai Maritime Search and Rescue Center, the "Changping" ship carrying 5,000 tons of steel collided with another cargo ship before capsize and sinking at its anchorage near the mouth of the Yangtze River.

At that time, there were 13 sailors on board. As of 9:00 a.m. on January 3 (local time), 3 people had been rescued and 10 people were still missing. Dozens of ships were mobilized for search and rescue. Search and rescue operations are still underway.

4. US President asserts that he has a nuclear button more powerful than North Korea

US President Donald Trump claims to have a nuclear button that is bigger and more powerful than that of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. (Photo: Reuters)

US President Donald Trump said his "nuclear button" is "much bigger and more powerful" than the one controlled by North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, CNBC reported.

"Someone from his country please inform him that I too have a Nuclear Button, but it is a much bigger & more powerful one than his, and my Button works," Mr. Trump wrote on Twitter on the evening of January 2.

The US President's threat followed Kim Jong-un's New Year's speech, in which the young leader said North Korea's nuclear weapons could reach anywhere in the US, and threatened that he had a nuclear button on his desk.

5. Ecuador removes Vice President Jorge Glas for corruption

Ecuadorian Vice President Jorge Glas. Source: El Comercio

On January 3 (Vietnam time), Vice President of Ecuador Jorge Glas - currently serving a 6-year prison sentence for corruption - was removed from office. Mr. Glas is the highest-ranking Ecuadorian official to be convicted and imprisoned in a bribery case involving the Brazilian construction group Odebrecht.

According to the French news agency AFP, on December 13, the Ecuadorian Court of Justice sentenced Vice President Glas to 6 years in prison for receiving 13.5 million USD in bribes from the Odebrecht group. However, counting from the time he was detained from October 2, 2017, awaiting trial, Mr. Glas did not perform his Vice President duties for 3 months. Therefore, by noon on January 2 (local time), Mr. Glas was automatically removed from office according to the provisions of the Ecuadorian constitution.

6. Tens of thousands of people marched in support of the Iranian government

People march in support of the Government in Tehran, Iran. Photo: AFP/TTXVN

On January 3, tens of thousands of people gathered in many cities across Iran to participate in marches to show support for the country's government after many days of violent protests in some localities.

Television broadcast images of people marching in the cities of Ahvaz, Kermanshah, Gorgan and several other places, chanting "Leader, we are ready." The crowds waved Iranian flags and pictures of Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

7. Russian military helicopter crashed in Syria, 2 pilots died

Russian Mi-24 helicopter. Photo: Sputnik

The Russian Defense Ministry confirmed that two pilots were killed when an Mi-24 helicopter crashed near Hama military airport in Syria on the last day of 2017.

“On December 31, 2017, a Russian Mi-24 helicopter crashed due to a technical problem while preparing to land at Hama airport,” RT quoted the Russian Defense Ministry's announcement today, January 3.

According to the announcement, the accident occurred when the Russian helicopter was performing a landing maneuver in an area about 15 km from Hama airport.Both pilots on board the plane were killed, while a technician was injured and transferred to Khmeimim airbase.

8.Knife attack in Ireland leaves 3 dead and injured

Police cordoned off the scene of the attack. Source: thesun.ie

Irish authorities on January 3 arrested a knife attacker who killed one person and injured two others in the northern town of Dundalk.

Local media quoted police sources as saying the attack occurred at around 9 a.m. (local time) on January 3 in the eastern part of the town. The victim is believed to be of Japanese origin.

According to media, the attacker was of Middle Eastern origin and was arrested at the scene.