North Korean media ignores Trump-Kim meeting, Russia attacks terrorist hideout

1. Why did North Korean media ignore the Trump-Kim meeting?

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and US President Donald Trump.

On March 12, a South Korean official said that North Korea seemed to need more time and was cautious about reporting on plans to hold a summit with the US and South Korea.

According to Yonhap, North Korea has not given any official response to holding a summit with Seoul at the end of May and a historic meeting with US President Donald Trump also in May.

Even Chosun Sinbo, a pro-North Korea newspaper in Japan, reported on plans to hold an inter-Korean summit on March 10 but deleted the article a day later.

“North Korea seems to need more time and is cautious in its approach regarding the summit with the United States and South Korea,” said Baik Tae-hyun, spokesman for South Korea’s Unification Ministry.

2. Russian planes drop bombs to flatten terrorist hideouts in Syria

Russian blockbuster flattens terrorist hideouts in Syria. Photo: Almasdar News

According toAlmasdar News, Russian military aircraft on March 11 carried out a series of precision airstrikes on targets of the terrorist group Ha'yat Tahrir al-Sham (formerly known as Jabhat al-Nusra) of the Al-Qaeda satellite group. Russia unleashed a barrage of fire in response to the seizure of the Shiite Muslim villages of Fouaa and Kafriyah, located in the northern part of Idlib province, Syria.

According to informed sources, Russian aircraft carried out at least five airstrikes on Ha'yat Tahrir al-Sham's hideouts, bases, and command centers using laser-guided bombs.

3. Chemical weapons factory discovered in Eastern Ghouta?

Eastern Ghouta area in Syria.

Sputnik reported that, speaking to reporters on March 12, Lieutenant Colonel Feruz Ibrahim of the Syrian army emphasized that Syrian government forces discovered a secret chemical warhead factory of the rebels during the process of clearing the village of Aftris in Eastern Ghouta after the rebels withdrew from the area.

“It is clear that these ammunition were produced to carry out an attack and blame the government for using chemical weapons,” Mr. Ibrahim said.

Previously, the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) confirmed that the process of destroying the chemical weapons stockpile handed over by the Syrian government had been completed.

4. Russia thwarts terrorist attack ahead of election

The Russian Federal Security Service (FSB) has stepped up security ahead of the 2018 Russian presidential election.

Russian security forces have thwarted a terrorist attack in the Saratov region. During the raid, they also found explosive devices and grenades hidden in a car.

That was the statement of the Russian Federal Security Service (FSB) issued on March 11 (local time). RT quoted the statement as saying that members of the terrorist organization were shot dead in a gunfight with security forces when the latter tried to stop the car carrying them. Guns, a grenade and a homemade explosive device containing 3 kg of TNT were found at the scene.
Saratov is located 800km southeast of Moscow. Security forces have opened a criminal investigation into the terrorist plot.

5. TPlane crash in Nepal, at least 50 people killed

Scene of the plane crash. Source: THX/TTXVN

Nepalese officials said at least 50 people were killed when a Bangladeshi passenger plane crashed near Tribhuvan International Airport in the Nepalese capital Kathmandu on the afternoon of March 12.

According to a Nepalese police spokesman, 31 people died at the scene and nine died at two hospitals in Kathmandu. In addition, 23 people were injured.
Sources said there were 67 passengers and four crew members on board US-Bangla Airlines flight S2-AGU when the plane crashed.

6.Slovakia's Deputy Prime Minister and Interior Minister announces resignation

Slovakia's Deputy Prime Minister and Interior Minister Robert Kalinak. Source: sme.sk

Amid a political crisis, Slovakia's Deputy Prime Minister and Interior Minister Robert Kalinak announced on March 12 that he would resign, following tensions that erupted over the murder of journalist Jan Kuciak while investigating mafia ties between senior officials.

"It is important to maintain stability, so I have decided to resign as Deputy Prime Minister and Interior Minister," Mr Kalinak said at a press conference.
Mr Kalinak's resignation shows he has "bowed" to the demands of his coalition partners who are seeking to remove a close ally of Prime Minister Robert Fico.

7.Tensions rise, UK threatens to boycott 2018 World Cup in Russia

Former Russian intelligence colonel Sergey Skripal (center).

The Times newspaper, citing sources from special agencies, reported that the British government will discuss with the US and its European allies the possibility of boycotting the 2018 World Cup in Russia in the context of the assassination of former Russian military intelligence agency GRU colonel Sergey Skripal and his daughter.

According to the newspaper, in case of finding "Russian traces" in this case, a coordinated response including diplomatic, economic and military measures will be taken by the British government. In addition to the UK, some other countries such as Poland, Austria and Japan may also refuse to participate in the 2018 World Cup.