IAEA: North Korea expands nuclear facilities; US prevents conflict between Kurds and Türkiye
(Baonghean.vn) - IAEA suspects North Korea is expanding its main nuclear facility; Turkish newspaper says CIA has a recording of the Saudi Crown Prince ordering Khashoggi's murder; US prevents conflict between Kurds and Türkiye; Australia tightens regulations on revoking citizenship of convicted people... are the world's top news in the past 24 hours.
IAEA suspects North Korea is expanding its main nuclear facility
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| Punggye-ri nuclear test site in North Hamgyong province of North Korea. Photo: YONHAP/TTXVN |
The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) said on November 22 that North Korea appears to be expanding activities at its main nuclear facility. In a report to the IAEA Board of Governors on the situation since August 2018, Director General Yukiya Amano said North Korea appears to have introduced equipment into a light-water reactor under construction at its main Yongbyon nuclear facility, which is widely believed to provide fissile material for nuclear bombs.
According to Mr. Amano, at this light water reactor, the IAEA has also observed activities consistent with the production of reactor equipment and can transfer these equipment into this reactor containment area.
Turkish newspaper says CIA has audio recording of Saudi Crown Prince ordering Khashoggi's murder
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| Saudi Arabian Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. Photo:AP |
During a trip to Türkiye last month, CIA Director Gina Haspel was provided with a recording of a phone conversation between Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and his brother Khaled bin Salman, the Saudi ambassador to the United States.Hurriyetreport
The Turkish newspaper, citing unnamed sources, said the two men were "uneasy" about Khashoggi's public criticism of the Saudi government during the conversation. "The crown prince instructed Khashoggi to be silenced as soon as possible. The subsequent murder was the result of this instruction," the newspaper said, adding that if an international investigation into Khashoggi's murder were carried out, new evidence would be revealed because the CIA had more recordings than the public knew.
US prevents conflict between Kurds and Türkiye
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The US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces once stopped their campaign against IS in Syria because of tensions with Türkiye. Photo:Reuters |
"We will build observation posts at several locations in northern Syria along the Turkish border to promptly alert the Turks if we detect activities beyond the US-controlled area,"ABC NewsNovember 21 quoted a statement by US Secretary of Defense James Mattis.
Mattis's statement is believed to be referring to the Kurdish militia (YPG), which is considered a terrorist group by Türkiye. The Kurdish militia plays a key role in the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) and is an important ally of the US in the fight against the self-proclaimed Islamic State (IS). Some US military commanders recently said that the Kurdish militia is neglecting the fight against IS and focusing only on fighting the Turkish army along the border.
UK, EU agree draft statement on future bilateral relations
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| President of the European Council (EC) Donald Tusk. Source: THX/TTXVN |
On November 22, President of the European Council (EC) Donald Tusk said that the leaders of the UK and the European Union (EU) have agreed in principle on a draft statement on the future of bilateral relations after the UK leaves the EU, also known as Brexit.
Referring to the draft discussed during the meeting on November 21 between British Prime Minister Theresa May and President of the European Council (EC) Jean-Claude Juncker, Mr. Tusk said that EC President Jean-Claude Juncker announced that the draft declaration on the future relationship between the UK and the EU had been agreed at the level of negotiators and agreed in principle at the political level. This draft declaration will be considered at the EU summit scheduled for November 25.
Two Koreas promote project to search for wartime remains
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| South Korean soldiers pay tribute to their comrades after finding remains believed to be those of soldiers killed in the Korean War (1950-53) in the demilitarized zone on the inter-Korean border on October 25. Photo: Yonhap/VNA |
On November 22, South Korea and North Korea connected a 3km-long road across the military demarcation line inside the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) to support a joint project to recover the remains of soldiers from the Korean War (1950-1953). The site was designed by both sides to serve the project, which will run from April to October 2019, to search for the remains of those who died in battle.
The 12-meter-wide unpaved road across the DMZ was established at Arrowhead Mountain, or Hill 281, in the Cheorwon area, 90 kilometers northeast of Seoul, the South Korean side of the road is about 1.7 kilometers long, while the North Korean side is about 1.3 kilometers long. The road will be used for the transportation of personnel and equipment for the remains recovery project.
Several French mining company employees shot dead in Niger
At least seven employees of the French mining company FORACO and a local official were shot dead early on November 22 when a group of gunmen attacked their camp in southeastern Niger.
A group of terrorists attacked a building housing FORACO engineers and drillers in the village of Toumour, southeastern Niger. The attackers opened fire on them, killing eight people. Five others were also injured in the incident, the company said in a statement.
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| Police stand guard at the scene of a knife attack in Melbourne, Australia on November 9. Photo: THX/TTXVN |
On November 22, the Australian Government announced plans to strip citizenship from convicted terrorists, even those who are native-born Australians.
The decision comes after Australian authorities uncovered a series of terrorist plots and attacks in the country. According to Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison, the government needs to be given more power to strip citizenship from any person found guilty of terrorism.
US soldiers are allowed to use heavy-handed tactics against migrants at the border.
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| US soldiers at the border with Mexico. Photo: Reuters |
The White House has reportedly issued a directive allowing troops patrolling the US border with Mexico to use lethal force against legal illegal immigrants if necessary.
There are currently about 6,000 US troops deployed to key locations along the border with Mexico. US President Donald Trump has ordered troops to be deployed to the border with Mexico after accusing a series of trucks carrying Central American migrants heading to the Mexican border with the US as an "invasion".
The newly deployed soldiers will work with Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and the National Guard to protect the border.
