East Sea issue heats up at Shangri-La; Spain deposes Prime Minister
(Baonghean.vn) - The world in the past 24 hours has had many outstanding events such as: The two Koreas held military negotiations at the truce village of Panmunjom; Türkiye arrested nearly 40 suspected IS members; Ukraine may be responsible for the MH17 plane crash; Spain has a new Prime Minister; Volcano in Indonesia "awakens"...
Shangri-La Dialogue "heats up" East Sea issue
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China continues to send “lightweight” representatives to the 2018 Shangri-La Dialogue. Photo: STRAITS TIMES |
The 17th Shangri-La Dialogue opened in Singapore on June 1, gathering ministers and defense officials from more than 50 countries in the Asia-Pacific region.
With the US-North Korea summit, which is expected to take place on June 12 in Singapore, dominating international discussions, the Shangri-La Dialogue (which runs until June 3), is an opportunity for defense officials to focus on China’s growing naval presence in the region, especially in the South China Sea. According to event organizers, in addition to the South China Sea issue, it would not be surprising if North Korea emerged as the most important topic at the Shangri-La Dialogue. However, this hot issue will not be able to overshadow other extremely important crises in the region, such as the shaping of Asia’s changing security order, new aspects of terrorism and counter-terrorism, etc.
South Korea and North Korea open joint liaison office in Kaesong
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South Korean (right) and North Korean (left) delegations at high-level inter-Korean talks at the truce village of Panmunjom on June 1. Source: Kyodo/VNA |
According to the South Korean Unification Ministry, on June 1, South Korea and North Korea agreed to hold general-level talks on military issues on June 14 at the truce village of Panmunjom, within the framework of efforts to reduce tensions between the two Koreas.
In addition, the two sides also agreed to hold a Red Cross meeting on June 22 to discuss the reunion of families separated by the Korean War (1950-1953) and open a joint liaison office in the border city of Kaesong in North Korea as soon as possible.
MH17 plane crash: Netherlands unexpectedly declares Ukraine may be responsible
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MH17 crash site in Ukraine. Photo: RIA Novosti |
June 1RIA NovostiReportedly, during a meeting of the Dutch Parliament, Foreign Minister Stef Blok stated that Ukraine cannot be excluded from the list of countries that could be held responsible for the MH17 plane crash in 2014.
During the meeting, members of parliament questioned Ukraine's responsibility in the MH17 incident when the country did not request the closure of the airspace in the eastern region, where armed conflicts are taking place.
“I do not rule anything out, but there is currently no legal evidence to hold Ukraine responsible for this,” Mr. Blok said.
Türkiye arrests nearly 40 suspected IS members
Turkish police. Photo: Alaraby.co.uk. |
Türkiye's national news agency Anadolu has reported that the country's authorities have arrested at least 36 suspects linked to the self-proclaimed Islamic State (IS) terrorist organization.
The above subjects were arrested after Turkish special forces simultaneously carried out attacks on targets in 11 provinces and cities.
According to initial information, the suspects showed signs of recruiting, training and coaching new members.
Spain has a new Prime Minister
Socialist Party President Pedro Sánchez. Photo: Youtube. |
Socialist Party leader Pedro Sánchez became Spain's new prime minister on June 1, replacing Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy, who was defeated in a no-confidence vote in the Spanish parliament earlier in the day. Pedro Sánchez is expected to take office no later than June 4 and name his cabinet next week.
In the vote of no confidence against Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy, 180 MPs voted in favor, 169 voted against and 1 abstained. Mr. Mariano Rajoy is the first Prime Minister in Spain to lose a vote of no confidence since the country's transition to democracy.
Indonesia's most active volcano 'awakens'
Merapi volcano in Yogyakarta, Indonesia. Photo: AFP/TTXVN |
On June 1, Mount Merapi on Java Island, Indonesia suddenly "awakened", spewing a column of ash up to 6,000 meters high, forcing authorities to issue the highest level of warning for passenger flights over the area.
The local disaster management agency said Mount Merapi began erupting at around 8:20 a.m. local time, spewing ash to the west. Indonesia has issued a red alert banning aircraft from flying over the volcano, and said the alert level could be changed depending on the situation.
People living in the affected area have also been warned to be vigilant. Authorities have also banned entry within 3 km of the volcano.
Cambodia warns of fake princess
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A child plays soccer in front of the Cambodian royal palace. Photo: Reuters |
A woman claiming to be Princess Sisuwat Kusuma Nariratana, granddaughter of King Sihanouk, who died in 2012, visited several northern provinces of Thailand and was given a grand welcome.
She was present at many temple festivals and the inauguration of a new road. Thousands of Cambodians living in Thailand came out to welcome the “princess”. Local authorities mobilized police and military to escort the “jade body”.
However, the Cambodian Embassy confirmed that this person is a fake and advised people of both countries “not to be easily deceived because they may be deceived”. Currently, Thai police are investigating the case and searching for the fake princess.