Austria hunts for Russian 'spy'; North Korea fires missile in warning to South Korea
(Baonghean.vn) - Austria searches for Russian 'spies'; North Korea announces missile launch as a warning to South Korea; France closes 2 schools due to high lead levels from Notre Dame Cathedral; Australia tightens control over Google and Facebook to protect users... are the world's top news in the past 24 hours.
Austria searches for Russian 'spy'
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| Austrian police are actively searching for a suspected Russian spy. Photo: AFP |
Austria's Interior Ministry said it had placed a Russian citizen on an international wanted list on suspicion of spying for Russia's GRU military intelligence service "to the detriment of Austria." The Salzburg prosecutor's office said the suspected Russian spy was a senior GRU officer who recruited a retired Austrian colonel to steal Austrian state and military secrets. The Austrian Interior Ministry also released a photo of the suspected Russian spy, identified as Igor Zaitsev, 65.
According to Sputnik, citing a statement from the prosecutor's office, Zaitsev has been placed on the wanted lists of Interpol and Europol. "The GRU officer is suspected of recruiting a 70-year-old retired colonel of the Austrian armed forces to work for the Russian intelligence agency to disadvantage Austria, revealing state and military secrets," the statement said. Prosecutors also said that the Russian citizen gave the Austrian colonel 30,000 euros (780 million VND) in cash in payment for secret information.
North Korea claims to have test-fired a "new weapon" as a "warning to South Korea"
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| A man watches television news about a North Korean missile test launch in Seoul on July 25, 2019. Photo: AFP |
North Korea's state news agency KCNA reported that President Kim Jong-un supervised the test-firing of a "new tactical guided weapon" to warn South Korea to stop importing high-tech weapons and joint military exercises.
News agencyReutersinform the news ofKCNAHe did not mention the United States or the Trump administration but said Kim criticized Seoul for conducting joint military exercises, often with US troops. "We have no choice but to develop super-powerful weapon systems relentlessly to eliminate direct and potential threats to ensure the security of our country against South Korea," he said.KCNAsaid on July 26. News agencyKCNAMr Kim has accused South Korea of engaging in a “double deal” by saying it supports peace but importing new weapons and conducting joint military exercises.
Iran allows India consular access to 18 crew members of British ship
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| British-flagged oil tanker "Stena Impero" near the Strait of Hormuz on July 21, 2019. Photo: THX/TTXVN |
Iran has granted India consular access to 18 Indian sailors aboard the British-flagged Stena Impero, which was seized by Tehran last week, Iran's ambassador to the UK, Hamid Baeidinejad, said on July 26. Representatives of the Indian Embassy in Tehran have met with 18 Indian nationals working on the Stena Impero, he said. Iran has also granted consular access to five sailors from different countries, the official added.
Meanwhile, on the same day, a VNA correspondent in New Delhi quoted PTI news agency as saying that Iran has released nine of the 12 Indian sailors on the MT Riah ship that Tehran captured in early July. However, Iran is still holding 21 Indians, including three on the MT Riah ship and 18 from the Stena Impero tanker. According to the source, all these sailors are healthy and New Delhi will continue efforts to ensure their early release.
Australia tightens controls on Google and Facebook to protect users
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Illustration: Internet. |
After 18 months of investigation, the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission on July 26 released a 600-page report stating that Google and Facebook are two companies that have collected a lot of personal, sensitive and commercial information from users and asserted that these actions are unfair and violate people's privacy. However, Australia is currently unable to handle these violations due to the lack of legal regulations.
Faced with this situation, the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission submitted 23 recommendations to the Government in four groups of issues including privacy, competition, journalism and user protection. Notably, it requested that technology companies inform consumers about the information they collect and how that information is used. On the government side, the report also recommended that Australia amend the law to more closely control the activities of technology companies as well as establish an agency to resolve complaints and disputes between consumers and technology companies.
France closes two schools due to high lead levels from Notre Dame Cathedral
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| Construction workers pass through the gates of Notre Dame Cathedral. Photo: AFP |
Paris authorities have ordered the closure of two schools in the area due to health concerns after high levels of lead were found in areas near Notre Dame Cathedral, which suffered a devastating fire in April.
Investigative news site Mediapart reported that high levels of lead were found in schools and kindergartens in the area surrounding the landmark. A City Hall spokesman said a primary school and a kindergarten in the area had been closed as a "precautionary measure" after high levels of lead were found in the playground.
