US denies attacking Syria with phosphorus bombs
(Baonghean.vn) - The US denies information about attacking Syria with phosphorus bombs; Mr. Abe and Mr. Putin discuss to soon sign a peace agreement; Prime Minister May is at risk of being "betrayed" within the Conservative Party; Former leader of the Cambodia National Rescue Party Kem Sokha is released on bail... Those are the outstanding events of the world in the past 24 hours.
US denies information about attacking Syria with phosphorus bombs
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| The US denies allegations of attacking Syria with phosphorus bombs. Photo: Sputnik |
The Pentagon denied information from the Russian Defense Ministry that the US Air Force attacked Syria's Deir ez-Zor province with white phosphorus bombs, a weapon banned by the United Nations.
According to Sean Robertson, a spokesman for the US Department of Defense, the Pentagon has not received any reports of the use of white phosphorus ammunition. He also added that no US military unit possesses the aforementioned weapon in this area.
Russia, Japan discuss joint economic program on disputed islands
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| Russian President Vladimir Putin (right) and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe during a meeting in Vladivostok, Russia on September 10. Photo: AFP/ VNA |
Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and Russian President Vladimir Putin held talks in Vladivostok, Russia, on September 10, focusing on joint economic activities on the disputed islands that Russia calls the Southern Kurils, while Japan calls the Northern Territories.
During the talks, the two leaders also discussed the issue of Japanese citizens abducted by North Korean agents. Mr. Abe said this was an issue that needed to be resolved at its root and stated that Japan's stance was supported by President Putin.
Through economic cooperation activities, Japan wants to move towards resolving the decades-long territorial conflict and signing a peace treaty with Russia. Meanwhile, Russia wants to attract Japanese investment in the resource-rich but still underdeveloped Far East.
Türkiye arrests dozens of people suspected of links to cleric Gulen
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On September 10, Türkiye continued to arrest 48 military officers and 8 other suspects with links to cleric Fethullah Gulen. Photo: Iran Daily |
On September 10, Turkish authorities continued to arrest 48 military officers and eight other people suspected of having links to cleric Fethullah Gulen, who is currently living in exile in the US and is accused of being behind a failed coup attempt in mid-2016.
According to Turkish media, these subjects are on a list of 89 people subject to questioning within the framework of a judicial investigation.
Since the coup in July 2016, Türkiye has investigated nearly 160,000 people, detained 50,000 people pending trial, and suspended or fired more than 100,000 people working in the military, courts, civil service, or other sectors.
US closes Palestinian Representative Office in Washington DC
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| Palestine Liberation Organization office in Washington DC (USA). Photo: Getty Images |
On September 10, the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) announced that the US will close the Palestinian representative office in Washington DC.
White House officials confirmed the news and said an official announcement about the closure of the PLO Office in Washington is expected to be made the same day.
The decision is seen as a move by the White House to increase pressure on the long-stalled Middle East peace efforts. US National Security Adviser John Bolton is expected to make a short speech when announcing the decision.
Mr. Bolton even threatened to impose sanctions on the International Criminal Court (ICC) if the organization launched investigations targeting the US and Israel.
The PLO opened a representative office in Washington DC in 1994 and joined the ICC as an observer in 2012.
Prime Minister May is at risk of being "betrayed" within her own Conservative Party.
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British Prime Minister Theresa May. Photo: France 24 |
In a statement on September 10, Mr. Steve Baker, who served as the Under Secretary of State in charge of Brexit, said that if Prime Minister Theresa May continues her current stance, she risks being pushed into a “disastrous situation” within her own party.
He did not call for a change in leadership at the moment, but said that Theresa May would face difficulties at the annual Conservative Party Conference, scheduled from September 30 to October 3.
There are currently around 80 Conservative MPs ready to vote against the Brexit White Paper. If the conference ends without Theresa May being able to rely on party support to push through her plan, and instead seeking support from Labour, it will send a clear message about the deep divisions within the Conservative Party.
Former Cambodia National Rescue Party leader Kem Sokha released on bail
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Mr. Kem Sokha was arrested in 2017. |
On the morning of September 10, Mr. Kem Sokha, former leader of the Cambodia National Rescue Party (CNRP), a major opposition party in Cambodia, who was detained for more than a year, was released on bail.
The Phnom Penh Municipal Court’s ruling reads: “Order the director of the Rehabilitation Education Center No. 3 to release the defendant Kem Sokha, 64 years old, who is being examined by the prosecutor for the crime of colluding with foreigners from 1993 to September 3, 2017…”
Kem Sokha, former president of the opposition CNRP, was indicted by the Phnom Penh Municipal Court for “treason”. Kem Sokha was arrested on September 3, 2017, and detained at Tra Paing Phlong Prison, Tbong Khmum Province. On March 27, 2018, the court tried him in absentia and continued to detain him for another 6 months.
More than 20 people were killed and injured in a suicide bombing in Mogadishu
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| The scene of destruction after the explosion in Mogadishu on September 10. Source: Deutsche Welle/VNA |
Somali police and rescue workers said at least six people were killed and 16 wounded in a car bomb attack outside the Hodan district government headquarters in the capital Mogadishu on the morning of September 10.
Police said a car crashed into a checkpoint outside the Hodan district government building and exploded. Several nearby buildings, including a mosque, were destroyed. Rescuers are continuing to search for people trapped under the rubble.
Singapore court orders return of more than $11 million in lost funds to Malaysia
A Singapore court has ordered the transfer of S$15.3 million ($11.1 million) embezzled from state fund 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) back to Malaysia.
According to a September 10 announcement by law firm Tan Rajah & Cheah, the above amount in various foreign currencies will be transferred to a special bank account in Kuala Lumpur that is tasked with recovering money for 1MDB. This is only a part of the amount of money that Singapore has seized related to the 1MDB scandal.
Law firm Tan Rajah & Cheah, which is advising the Malaysian government and 1MDB, also said efforts to recover the embezzled assets from 1MDB are underway. Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad has repeatedly said he will seek to recover the billions of dollars embezzled from 1MDB.
Sudanese President Dissolves Government and Appoints New Prime Minister
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| Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir. Photo: AFP/VNA |
AFP reported that on September 9, Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir dissolved the 31-member cabinet and appointed a new prime minister to form a smaller government to address the increasingly severe economic crisis in this African country.
In addition to cutting the number of ministers in the cabinet from 31 to 21, President Bashir also decided to appoint Moutaz Mousa Abdallah - a minister in the recently dissolved cabinet - as the new Prime Minister. Mr. Abdallah has been given the responsibility of forming a new cabinet, but it is not yet clear when he will be sworn in as Sudan's Prime Minister.
