International events of the past week

(Baonghean.vn) - An earthquake in Korean politics; FBI investigating Mrs. Clinton right before the US presidential election; Russians fear the risk of World War III; China showing off its state-of-the-art fighter jets at an international air show... are some of the international news highlights of the past week.

1- 'Earthquake' in Korean politics

President Park Geun-hye is facing a lot of public pressure.

The political scandal involving President Park Geun-hye and her close friend has shown no signs of abating, so the decision to reshuffle the cabinet and replace a series of high-ranking officials in the Korean Government continues to be the focus of international attention in recent hours.

The South Korean presidential office has appointed Kim Byong-joon, 62, as the new prime minister, replacing Hwang Kyo-ahn. The appointment of a prominent liberal politician is seen as an attempt by President Park Geun-hye's conservative party to ease backlash from the opposition and the public. In addition to the prime minister position, the Blue House also appointed Yim Jong-yong, chairman of the Financial Services Commission, as deputy prime minister and finance minister. The changes are pending approval by the National Assembly.

However, the biggest cabinet reshuffle in the history of the country seems to have failed to ease pressure from the opposition in South Korea. Opposition parties say the change is aimed at diverting public attention from the political crisis engulfing the Blue House and only solves the tip of the iceberg, as the anger of the Korean public is aimed at the President, not her cabinet.

2 - FBI investigates Mrs. Clinton right before the US presidential election

US presidential candidate Hillary Clinton speaks at a press conference on October 28 in Des Moines (Iowa) after US media reported that the FBI reopened an investigation into her.

On October 31 (Vietnam time), Reuters quoted a close source as saying that the US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) had received an order to investigate newly discovered emails related to the personal server of Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton.

The warrant will allow the FBI to investigate whether newly discovered emails are related to Clinton’s use of a private computer for official business when she was Secretary of State. On October 29, FBI Director James Comey sent a letter to the US Congress about the investigation in the context of the tense US presidential race with just over a week left.

Faced with this situation, the Democratic Party accused FBI Director James Comey of deliberately circumventing the law to influence the election. Some of Mrs. Clinton's allies are concerned that the prolonged controversy will overshadow the upcoming presidential election on November 8 as well as affect the political transition even if Mrs. Clinton wins the seat to the White House.

3-Russians fear the risk of World War III

Smoke rises in Aleppo on October 26. (Source: Reuters)

According to a poll conducted by the prestigious Levada Center for Public Opinion Research in Russia and published on October 31, nearly half of Russians fear the risk of World War III if the crisis in Syria continues to be deadlocked.

The Levada Center said 48% of respondents were concerned that the increasingly tense relations between Russia and the West over the conflict in Syria, now in its sixth year, could spark a new world war.

The civil war in Syria shows no signs of ending anytime soon. The latest ceasefire agreement in Syria brokered by Russia and the United States in early September quickly collapsed. Relations between the two powers have become increasingly tense after Moscow and the Syrian government army stepped up their air campaign in the city of Aleppo, eliminating opposition and terrorist elements.

It is estimated that more than 300,000 people have been killed in Syria and more than half of the country's population has been displaced since the conflict broke out in the country in March 2011.

4-China shows off its latest fighter jets at international air show

Chinese Air Force aircraft perform during the opening day of the Zhuhai International Airshow. The biennial event is an opportunity for China to showcase its latest achievements in military aviation.

From November 1 to November 6, at the Zhuhai International Airshow, China introduced a series of new fighter jets recently developed by the country, including the J-20 stealth fighter, which is expected to compete on par with the most modern stealth fighters of the US.

China's J-20 stealth fighter made its public debut at an exhibition in Zhuhai, Guangdong province on November 1, the latest sign of the country's military technological advancement.

This fifth-generation fighter, which looks similar to the Lockheed Martin F-22 Raptor in service with the US military, performed an air show at the exhibition.

5 - Horrific ship capsize in Indonesia

Trains and boats are the most popular means of transportation in Indonesia (Illustration photo)

On November 2, a speedboat carrying 93 people capsized off the coast of Batam, Indonesia. As of this writing, 21 people have been confirmed dead. The initial cause is bad weather.

According to The Jakarta Post, at the time of the accident, the boat was carrying Indonesian workers returning from work in Malaysia. Officials in Batam said at least 21 passengers were killed, 34 were missing, and 38 survived. Rescue teams are currently searching for survivors.

Sambudi Gusdian police official said they were investigating those responsible for the accident. They initially suspected the boat was overloaded and the trip was illegal.

Indonesia has more than 17,000 islands, so water transport plays an extremely important role in this country. However, fatal accidents continue to occur due to lax safety regulations and boats are often overloaded.

6 - New amazing discovery about MH370

The disappearance of MH370 is a great mystery of world aviation. (Photo: Wordpress)

A new report on MH370 suggests the plane descended rapidly after running out of fuel without any pilot intervention.

Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370 disappeared on March 8, 2014, with 239 passengers and crew on board. The incident remains one of the world's greatest aviation mysteries.

According to a report by the Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) released on November 2, analysis of flaperon debris found in Tanzania in June 2016 showed that the plane was not in a landing position. The report also said that satellite communications from the plane were consistent with the assessment that MH370 was “at altitude and descending at a high rate of speed” when it disappeared. According to ATSB simulations, the plane turned at the last minute and plunged into the sea at a speed of up to 457 km/h.

Peace

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