Hot world events in the past 24 hours

1. North Korea sends delegates to attend the closing ceremony of the 2018 PyeongChang Olympics

Image of South Korean and North Korean athletes marching under the "Unified Korean Peninsula" flag at the PyeongChang Olympics opening ceremony. Photo: AP

On February 22, the South Korean Ministry of Unification said that North Korea announced that it will send a high-level delegation led by Vice Chairman of the Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea Kim Yong-chul to attend the closing ceremony of the 2018 PyeongChang Winter Olympics on February 25. The delegation will leave South Korea to return home on February 27.

According to the South Korean Ministry of Unification, North Korea sent a letter stating that it would send a high-level delegation led by Kim Yong-chul for a three-day trip starting February 25. Kim Yong-chul is currently the Chairman of the United Front of Korea.

According to the letter, in addition to Mr. Kim Yong-chul, the delegation also includes six other high-ranking officials.

2.600 international reporters registered to cover the election in Egypt

Egypt's election commission prepares for the 2018 presidential election. Photo: Al Ahram

Egyptian authorities are working to facilitate and resolve any obstacles that journalists and reporters may encounter while covering the 2018 presidential election, said Karam Gabr, director of the Egyptian Press Authority.

Earlier this month, Egypt allowed the National Elections Authority (NEA) to approve 1,558 journalists from the country's print, radio and television outlets to cover the election. The NEA also issued 116 licenses to print and television outlets.

3.Belgian police surround armed man near school

Armed police were mobilized to block off part of the Forest district of Brussels, Belgium, to arrest an armed suspect on February 22. Photo: Reuters.

Armed police and helicopters have been deployed to the Forest residential area in the Belgian capital Brussels,APFebruary 2 reported. Local media quoted Forest district leaders as saying that police "suspected the presence of an armed man" barricading himself in a house in the district.

According to the news agencyRT, Russia, the house is located near an elementary school with about 350 students. The students were taken inside buildings for safety. Police have not responded to questions from the press. There is currently no indication that this is a terrorist-related incident.

4.Russia ready to consider UN draft resolution on Syria

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov. Source: TASS

Sputnik reported that on February 22, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov announced that Moscow is ready to consider a draft resolution of the United Nations Security Council onceasefire in Syria.

Speaking at a press conference, Mr. Lavrov said: “This draft resolution…we are ready to consider.”
According to the Russian Foreign Minister, the ceasefire is not allowed to apply to terrorist groups such as the self-proclaimed Islamic State (IS) and the Nusra Front, but “Russia’s Western partners are not ready to explicitly exclude terrorists from the ceasefire.”

5.Kim Jong Nam case suspect goes to Cambodia to practice assassination

Police escort suspect Siti Aisyah out of court on February 22. Photo: Reuters.

The Indonesian female suspect in the assassination of Kim Jong Nam has told a court that she was tricked into going to Cambodia for the purpose of participating in a TV show.

Gooi Soon Seng, lawyer for suspect Siti Aisyah, told the court in Shah Alam, on the outskirts of Kuala Lumpur, on February 22 that she claimed she was tricked into taking part in a prank TV show, which involved an “ambush” and a sudden spray of liquid on the subject’s face. Investigators said the stunt was seen as a rehearsal for the actual assassination.

6.How much did South Korea spend on Kim Jong-un's sister?

Ms. Kim Yo Jong, sister of leader Kim Jong-un and South Korean President Moon Jae-in.

South Korea spent about 240 million won ($223,237) on a high-level North Korean delegation that included leader Kim Jong-un's sister for three days at the Pyeongchang Olympics, a South Korean official said on February 22.

Reuters reported that according to an anonymous official of the South Korean Unification Ministry, the money was mainly spent on accommodation, travel and food for four members representing the North Korean delegation and their 18 staff.

Among them, Kim Yo Jong, sister of leader Kim Jong-un, and other North Korean officials stayed at the Walkerhill Hotel, a 5-star hotel located east of Seoul.

7.Philippine President Duterte wants to send troops to China

Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte (in white shirt) proposed sending his country's military to China for anti-terrorism training.

Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte said he wants to send troops to China for counterterrorism training, while Manila remains concerned about Beijing’s illegal construction in the South China Sea.

According to the Philippine Star, Mr. Duterte said he wanted to “balance” training activities for Philippine soldiers, a force that is already too familiar with cooperating with the US military.Mr. Duterte also emphasized that the proposal to send troops to China for training does not mean Manila will sever its traditional alliance with the United States.

8.After the "North Korean Ivanka" fever, Trump's daughter was sent to South Korea.Country

Ms. Ivanka Trump. Photo: Getty

According to the news agencyYonhap,Ivanka, the eldest daughter and senior advisor to US President Donald Trump, will lead the US delegation to the closing ceremony of the Winter Olympics in South Korea on February 25.

"The upcoming visit by the US presidential adviser is to congratulate South Korea on successfully hosting the Winter Olympics and reaffirm the US-South Korea alliance," Yonhap quoted a South Korean Foreign Ministry spokesman as saying on February 21.

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