Anti-North Korean missiles at sea?

(Baonghean.vn) - South Korea, the US and Japan begin joint anti-missile exercises; Russia and Egypt strengthen nuclear power cooperation; President Putin unexpectedly visits the Russian base in Syria;... are the international news highlights of the past 24 hours.

1. US-South Korea-Japan conduct anti-missile drills near North Korea

Anti-North Korean missile drills have taken place several times in the same waters.

The United States, South Korea and Japan on December 11 began a joint military exercise aimed at improving their ability to detect and track missiles from North Korea.

The South Korean military announced that the event took place over two days in waters near the Korean peninsula and Japan.

This is the sixth exercise since June last year in this sea area, after two in 2016 and three different times since the beginning of 2017.

The trilateral exercise comes amid speculation that North Korea may soon conduct a test of a submarine-launched ballistic missile (SLBM). Less than two weeks ago, Pyongyang tested a new intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) called the Hwasong-15, which is believed to have the range to hit anywhere in the US.

2. Russia and Egypt strengthen nuclear power cooperation

Russian President Vladimir Putin and Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi. Photo: Reuters.

Russian President Vladimir Putin on December 11 will pay an official visit to Egypt and will hold talks with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi on promoting bilateral cooperation, nuclear and economic cooperation as well as a number of hot issues in the Middle East region.

According to the Kremlin and Egyptian Presidential Spokesperson Bassam Rady, the two presidents will discuss measures to promote bilateral cooperation in various fields, notably political, economic, trade, and energy cooperation, as well as consult on a number of regional issues of mutual concern.

In addition, President Vladimir Putin and President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi discussed ways to develop the "2 + 2" mechanism, which includes the foreign and defense ministers of the two countries. This is a Russian mechanism that focuses on only six countries in the world, with Egypt being the only one in the Arab and African regions.

3. President Putin orders withdrawal of Russian troops from Syria

Russian President Putin

President Vladimir Putin on December 11 asked the Russian Defense Ministry to begin withdrawing military forces participating in the anti-terrorism campaign in Syria.

According to the Russian news agency TASS, President Vladimir Putin visited Russia's Hmeymim airbase in Latakia province in Syria on the morning of December 11. Here, Mr. Putin announced plans to withdraw Russian military forces in Syria.

“I have ordered the Defense Ministry and the General Staff to begin withdrawing the group of Russian troops (in Syria) to their permanent positions,” President Putin told Russian servicemen at the Hmeymim base.

President Putin declared that if terrorists intend to rise up in Syria, Russian forces will carry out airstrikes “the likes of which they have never seen before”.

4. Intelligence scandal: Chinese newspaper accuses Australian media of racism

Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull. Photo: Reuters.

Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull said last week that he believed reports that China had sought to interfere in Canberra's internal affairs, Reuters reported.

Turnbull said foreign powers were making "increasingly sophisticated, unprecedented attempts to influence the political process" in Australia and around the world. He cited "worrying reports of Chinese influence".

The Chinese government has protested these remarks, and on December 11, the People's Daily, the Communist Party of China, stepped up the "war", saying that the information published in the Australian media was full of imagination, baseless attacks on the Chinese government and maliciously slandered Chinese people studying and working in Australia.

5. China investigates corruption of former Chongqing Party Secretary

Mr. Ton Chinh Tai. Photo: Reuters.

In a brief statement, Chinese prosecutors said on December 11 that they had begun investigating Sun Zhengcai for corruption and approved "coercive measures" against him, a reference to arrests, Reuters reported.

Mr. Sun was removed from his position as party secretary of Chongqing, one of China's most important cities, in July. The position is now held by Mr. Chen Min'er.

Mr. Sun's case has been under review since late July. The Chinese Communist Party announced in September that Sun would be investigated for corruption.

Mr. Sun was also accused of leaking secrets, bribery, and abuse of power. He lost his parliamentary membership, and thus his immunity from investigation, in November.

6. Mr. Netanyahu calls on the EU to recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (left) and European Union High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Federica Mogherini. Photo: Reuters.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who is visiting the European Union (EU), on December 11 praised US President Donald Trump's historic announcement recognizing Jerusalem as the capital of Israel and expressed hope that European countries would make similar announcements.

Speaking before a meeting with EU foreign ministers in Brussels, Belgium, Netanyahu said the US move would contribute to peace in the Middle East. He continued to call on Palestine to recognize Israel as a Jewish state and accept Israel as its capital.

7. Bombing at New York subway station

Suspect Akayed Ullah. Photo: Reuters

According to the Telegraph, the explosion occurred at a subway station near Times Square at 7:25 a.m. on December 11 local time. Local authorities immediately evacuated the surrounding area.

ABC News quoted information from New York police that the explosion injured at least 3 people. Police have now arrested a suspect, and determined that the explosive material could be a homemade pipe bomb. The suspect was identified as a 27-year-old man named Akayed Ullah wearing a costume with a device with electrical wires on his body. He is originally from Bangladesh and has lived in the US for about 7 years.

RT news agency said that police confirmed that this could be a terrorist-related attack. Akayed Ullah was later identified as an "amateur" attacker and was influenced by recent events in Jerusalem.

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