Iranian supertanker 'disappears' off Syria; Russia deploys anti-ship missiles on disputed island with Japan
(Baonghean.vn) - Iran declares no bilateral dialogue with the US; Iranian supertanker "disappears" off the coast of Syria; Russia deploys more anti-ship missiles near disputed islands with Japan; US withdraws 5,000 troops from Afghanistan in the next 5 months... are the world's outstanding news in the past 24 hours.
Iran declares no bilateral dialogue with the US
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Iran's President affirms that he will not dialogue with the US. Photo: IRNA |
In a speech to a public session of the Islamic Consultative Assembly on September 3, Iranian President Rouhani said that Iran would not hold bilateral talks with the United States. However, he left open the possibility of dialogue within the P5+1 group if the US lifts sanctions. Rouhani's statement came as US President Donald Trump offered to meet with Iranian leaders and hold bilateral talks without preconditions.
The Iranian president also said that the US economic war has not achieved any results, although he admitted that the current government is facing very difficult conditions. Mr. Rouhani noted that Iran will join an economic pact and implement free trade with the Eurasian Community. The agreement between Iran and the EU will take effect on October 26, 2019.
Ukrainian parliament passes bill stripping parliamentarians of immunity
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| Panorama of the Ukrainian Parliament meeting in Kiev on May 20, 2019. Photo: AFP/VNA |
On September 3, the Ukrainian parliament passed a bill stripping parliamentarians of their immunity for the second time. The new bill was supported by 373 lawmakers, while the minimum threshold for passage is 300 votes. The document will now be sent to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky for his signature. If signed by Mr. Zelensky, the bill will come into effect on January 1, 2020.
Under the new law, Article 80 of the Constitution of Ukraine will remove the provision that deputies of the Ukrainian parliament cannot be prosecuted, detained or arrested without the consent of the parliament and that they are guaranteed parliamentary immunity. This provision clearly states that deputies cannot be detained for their statements, nor will they be held legally responsible for the results of votes or statements made in the parliament and its bodies.
Russia deploys more anti-ship missiles near disputed islands with Japan
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| Russian military vehicles equipped with Bastion anti-ship missile systems during a parade in Vladivostok in May 2018. Kyodo News screenshot |
Specifically, Kyodo News recently cited internal documents from the Russian government revealing that a new anti-ship missile system, called Bastion, with a range of more than 300 km, will be deployed on the two islands of Paramushir and Matua. These two islands are located in the northern part of the Kuril Islands, where four islands in the south are in dispute with Japan.
The plan shows Moscow places strategic importance on the Kuril Islands in protecting the Sea of Okhotsk and Russia's nuclear forces base. This means that a defense line stretching from the Kamchatka Peninsula to near Japan's Hokkaido Prefecture will be completed soon, according to Kyodo News. A Russian official said the missile system has been moved from the Kamchatka Peninsula to the Paramushir and Matua islands and is now being prepared for operation.
US to withdraw 5,000 troops from Afghanistan in next 5 months
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| US soldiers at a training camp in Herat, Afghanistan. Photo: Getty Images |
After months of negotiations, US negotiators and Taliban representatives have reached a draft peace agreement to end the 18-year conflict in Afghanistan. The draft needs to be approved by US President Donald Trump, according to Reuters. His Afghan counterpart Ashram Ghani also met with US Special Representative for Afghanistan Zalmay Khalilzad and plans to “study and evaluate” the details of the agreement.
If agreed, the deal would prevent the Taliban from using Afghanistan to launch attacks on the United States and its allies. It also includes a provision for intra-Afghan negotiations to end the conflict between the Taliban and the Western-backed government in Kabul.
Iranian supertanker "disappears" off the coast of Syria
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The Adrian Darya 1 turned off its transponder while traveling in the waters between Cyprus and Syria. Graphics: BBC |
Refinitiv ship tracking data shows the Adrian Darya 1 tanker last transmitted its position from its transponder at 3:53 p.m. on September 2, as it sailed north in the Mediterranean Sea between Cyprus and western Syria. With its transponder turned off, the ship has virtually disappeared from international shipping tracking data.
The supertanker and its destination are at the center of escalating tensions between Iran and the United States. The ship, formerly known as Grace 1, was seized by British Royal Marines and Gibraltar Coast Guard on July 4 on suspicion of carrying oil to Syria in violation of European Union (EU) sanctions.
Ukrainian parliament passes bill stripping parliamentarians of immunity
Tuesday, September 3, 2019 17:47
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On September 3, the Ukrainian Parliament passed a bill for the second time stripping parliamentarians of their immunity.
According to a VNA correspondent in the CIS region, the new bill was supported by 373 lawmakers, while the minimum threshold for passage is 300 votes. The document will be sent to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky for his signature. If signed by Mr. Zelensky, the bill will take effect on January 1, 2020.
Under the new law, Article 80 of the Constitution of Ukraine will remove the provision that Ukrainian parliamentarians cannot be prosecuted, detained or arrested without the consent of the parliament and they are guaranteed parliamentary immunity.
This provision clearly states that MPs cannot be detained for their statements, nor will they be held legally responsible for the results of votes or statements made in the National Assembly and its organs.