Russia reacts to US disclosure of secret proposal; North Korea “accuses” Japan of pursuing nuclear weapons
(Baonghean.vn) - The world over the past 24 hours has been filled with many events such as: The US revealed a secret proposal, the Russian Ministry of Defense reacted strongly; North Korea said Japan had accumulated enough plutonium for 7,800 nuclear bombs; IS continued to kidnap and execute hostages in Syria; Investigation into the assassination of the Venezuelan President began; Ebola outbreak re-emerged in the eastern part of the Democratic Republic of Congo...
Russia's Defense Ministry reacts strongly after US reveals secret proposal
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| Russian soldiers in Syria. (Photo: Reuters). |
The Russian Defense Ministry reacted strongly to the US revealing a secret proposal previously outlined by Moscow to the US media.
This Russian proposal was transferred to the US through a secret information channel between the two countries' militaries, however Washington revealed and Reuters news agency published information about the above proposal.
The proposal revolves around expanding cooperation on issues related to Syria and humanitarian issues related to the war-torn country.
The Russian Defense Ministry issued a statement saying that “the inability of the United States to comply with the agreement on the disclosure of military-to-military exchanges between the two countries only with the consent of both sides is disappointing. We hope that the US side will be able to implement the necessary measures to prevent violations of the joint agreements in the future.”
South Korea-China nuclear envoys set date for talks
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| South Korean nuclear negotiator Lee Do-hoon. Source: The Korea Herald/VNA |
Yonhap news agency quoted the South Korean Foreign Ministry as saying on August 5 that nuclear envoys from the country and China will hold talks in Beijing this week on the issue of North Korea's denuclearization and peace on the peninsula.
Lee Do-hoon, South Korea's special representative for Korean Peninsula peace and security affairs, is scheduled to meet his Chinese counterpart Kong Xuanyou on August 6 as part of efforts to strengthen "strategic communication" between the two countries, the ministry said.
Iran imports 5 Airbus planes before US sanctions take effect
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| Iran Air plane. Source: tehrantimes |
Iran received five new planes on August 5, a day before the US began restoring sanctions suspended under the 2015 nuclear deal, AP reported.
Five ATR72-600 twin-engine turboprop aircraft have arrived at Tehran's Mehrabad International Airport, bringing Iran Air's total delivery to 13 of the 20 aircraft ordered from the Franco-Italian manufacturer in April 2017.
The nuclear deal with world powers allowed Iran to replace its aging commercial fleet, but President Donald Trump’s decision in May to withdraw the United States from the nuclear deal has ended billions of dollars worth of deals Iran signed with Airbus and Boeing.
North Korea says Japan has enough plutonium for 7,800 nuclear bombs
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A pool containing spent nuclear fuel rods in Japan in 2017. Photo: Nikkei. |
"Since the US allowed Japan to reprocess spent fuel rods under the 1998 nuclear deal, Tokyo has been pushing for the stockpiling of plutonium for nuclear weapons for more than 30 years," the Korean Asia-Pacific Peace Committee (KAPPC) of the Workers' Party of Korea said in a document released today.
The committee confirmed that the total amount of plutonium stored worldwide is 518 tons, of which Japan possesses about 47 tons, enough to make 7,800 warheads equivalent to the bomb dropped on Nagasaki in 1945.
"The US encourages Japan to develop nuclear weapons, while demanding North Korea adopt credible denuclearization measures or raising questions about our denuclearization efforts," the KAPPC representative said.
IS continues to kidnap and execute hostages in Syria
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IS gunmen. (Source: telegraph.co.uk) |
Syrian media reported on August 5 that the self-proclaimed Islamic State terrorist organization (IS) executed one of more than 30 hostages it kidnapped in Sweida province, southern Syria, on July 25.
Video clips released by the IS organization show that the first unfortunate hostage was a 19-year-old man named Muhannad Dhouqan Abu Ammar.
Previously, on July 25, IS gunmen launched a large-scale surprise attack in the capital of Sweida province, killing nearly 200 people, most of them civilians. More than 30 others were taken hostage by IS, most of them women and children, in a village in Sweida.
According to some local sources, the leader of a tribe in Sweida has had negotiations with IS about the return of the hostages. However, the results are still unknown.
Investigation into the assassination of Venezuelan President begins
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| The assassination took place while Mr. Maduro was addressing people and soldiers at a military parade in the capital Caracas. Photo: Reuters |
Venezuela's Justice Minister Tarek William Saab said his agency has begun an investigation into the assassination of President Nicolas Maduro. "I want to announce that the public prosecutor has begun an investigation, three prosecutors have been appointed," Saab said on state television.
The assassination took place as Mr. Maduro was addressing the people and soldiers at a military parade in the capital Caracas. A remote-controlled plane loaded with explosives was detonated near the event, injuring seven soldiers. President Maduro and Venezuelan government officials remained safe.
Ebola outbreak re-emerges in the EastDemocratic Republic of Congo
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| Doctors Without Borders staff prepare to treat Ebola patients in the isolation area of Mbandaka Hospital in Equateur province, Democratic Republic of Congo on May 24. Source: EPA/TTXVN |
The Ministry of Health of the Democratic Republic of Congo on August 4 announced a resurgence of Ebola in the eastern part of the country, which may be responsible for more than 30 deaths.
The announcement came just a week after the Government of the Democratic Republic of Congo declared an end to the Ebola outbreak in the northwestern provinces that killed 33 people.
According to the ministry, up to 13 cases of Ebola have been confirmed in the outbreak in the east, of which three deaths have been detected in North Kivu and Ituri provinces. In addition, there are more than 60 suspected cases being tested, of which 30 have died.
