The hottest events in the world over the past 24 hours.

1.Inter-Korean talks achieve breakthrough results.

South Korean Unification Minister (right) shakes hands with North Korea's chief negotiator on the morning of January 9. Photo: Yonhap

Following a bilateral meeting on the morning of January 9th, North Korea agreed to send a high-level delegation, athletes, and cheering squads to the PyeongCong Winter Olympics in South Korea next month and proposed peace talks.

Speaking to reporters after the talks, South Korean Vice Minister of Unification Chun Hae-sung said that South Korea had proposed that the two sides march together under a unified flag at the opening and closing ceremonies of the Olympic Games next month, and that North Korea would also send a cheering squad to the event.

Additionally, Seoul proposed holding a meeting around February to discuss the reunification of families separated by the 1950-1953 Korean War.

The talks on January 9th were the first high-level negotiations between South Korea and North Korea in over two years, amid escalating tensions on the Korean Peninsula following a series of North Korean nuclear and missile tests.

2. Thailand confirms Yingluck is in the UK.

Yingluck Shinawatra poses for a photo with the woman in the red dress in London. Photo: Nation

According toReutersThai Foreign Minister Don Pramudwinai confirmed to reporters in Bangkok on January 9th that former Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra is in London, England. He stated that Thai officials have contacted their British counterparts to determine Yingluck's exact whereabouts.

The head of Thailand's Foreign Ministry declined to comment on whether the country would seek to extradite Yingluck. Thailand and the UK have signed an extradition treaty. The British Embassy in Bangkok has not yet issued an official statement on the matter.

Foreign Minister Don's statement came after two photos allegedly showing former Prime Minister Yingluck in the UK were widely shared online.

3. Japan does not accept the new policy on the issue of 'comfort women'.

Japanese Foreign Minister Taro Kono. Source: Reuters

According to Kyodo News, Japanese Foreign Minister Taro Kono declared on January 9th that Japan "cannot accept" South Korea's new policy stance on the 2015 agreement between the two countries regarding "comfort women."

Speaking to reporters at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs headquarters shortly after the South Korean announcement, Foreign Minister Kono stated: "Firmly implementing this agreement is a responsibility of both countries to the international community. We cannot accept all of South Korea's demands for Japan to take more action despite the fact that with this 2015 agreement we have affirmed the final and irreversible solution to the comfort women issue."

4. US Vice President visits the Middle East amid escalating tensions.

US Vice President Mike Pence. Photo: Getty.

During his visit, scheduled from January 19-23, Mike Pence will meet with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, Jordanian King Abdullah II, and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

The White House statement also said that the purpose of the US Vice President's visit to the aforementioned countries would prioritize discussions on the fight against terrorism and strengthening security cooperation.

In addition, Mike Pence will deliver a speech to the Israeli parliament, but there is no scheduled visit to the West Bank or meeting with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas.

Pence had planned to visit the Middle East last December, but later postponed it to vote on President Donald Trump's tax reform plan.

5.Putin's campaign headquarters will soon be operational.

Russian President Vladimir Putin. Photo: TASS.

TASS reported on January 9th, citing Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov, that Putin's campaign headquarters will soon be operational.

Responding to a journalist's question asking when the campaign headquarters of incumbent Russian President Vladimir Putin would begin operations, Peskov said: "This will happen soon."

Previously, the Russian Central Election Commission announced that, as of January 5th, President Vladimir Putin's campaign fund had received over 400 million rubles (approximately $7 million) in donations while having spent over 13 million rubles ($234,000). This money was primarily spent on the production and distribution of campaign materials.

According to the press service of the Russian Central Election Commission, a total of 13 presidential candidates have opened their campaign accounts.

6. Two trains collide head-on at a station in South Africa.

Fire trucks were dispatched to the scene, preventing a repeat of the tragedy of January 4th - Photo: TWITTER

Another serious railway accident occurred in South Africa on January 9th.Initial reports indicate that two trains collided at Geldenhuys station, 40 km southeast of Johannesburg, injuring at least 200 people, many of them seriously.

Images on social media showed many injured people lying or sitting haphazardly next to the railway tracks while medical personnel actively brought in stretchers and assistive devices.The scene shows one train car derailed but not overturned, according to News 24.

7. China prosecutes former army chief of staff.

General Fang Fenghui as Chief of the General Staff of the PLA in 2013 - Photo: Reuters

Former Chief of Staff of the Joint Staff Department of the Central Military Commission of China, Fang Fenghui, will be prosecuted on corruption charges, Xinhua news agency reported on January 9.

The Xinhua news agency's summary provided no further details, but it was the first official confirmation of the preliminary investigation into Fang Fenghui.

Earlier in September, Reuters reported that Mr. Fang had faced corruption charges.Mr. Fang himself accompanied Chinese President Xi Jinping during the latter's first meeting with US President Donald Trump in April 2017.

However, in August 2017, Mr. Fang was unexpectedly replaced from his position as Chief of Staff of the Joint Staff Department of the Central Military Commission of China.

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