Russia declares state of emergency in Belgorod, China aids Myanmar election, Trump leads Harris

Ukraine and Russia discuss Russian prisoners of war captured in Kursk, France bans a Russian warship from docking, US citizen of Russian origin sentenced to 12 years in prison for treason, Russia sends troops to Mongolia for military exercises, Korea and Japan have tensions over the Yasukuni Shrine issue... are some of the notable international events in the past 24 hours.

Myanmar government leader Min Aung Hlaing receives Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, August 14. (Source: AP)

The World & Vietnam Newspaper highlights some of the day's international news highlights.

Asia-Pacific

*China expels Japanese ship in disputed Senkaku Islands: The China Coast Guard issued a statement about expelling a Japanese fishing boat from the waters of the Diaoyu Islands (which Japan also claims and calls Senkaku).

According to the statement, on August 14, a Japanese fishing boat “illegally entered the territorial waters of China’s Diaoyu Islands. The Chinese Coast Guard took necessary control measures according to law, issued warning signals and expelled the boat.”

There is currently a territorial dispute between Japan and China over the Senkaku/Diaoyu Islands in the East China Sea. (Sputnik)

*South Korea proposes working-level talks with North Korea: On August 15, South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol proposed establishing a working-level advisory body with North Korea to discuss ways to reduce tensions and resume economic cooperation.

In a speech on National Liberation Day, marking the 79th anniversary of independence from Japan's colonial rule (1910-1945) after World War II, Mr. Yoon said he was ready for political and economic cooperation if North Korea began steps toward denuclearization.

“We will start political and economic cooperation as soon as North Korea takes a step toward denuclearization. Dialogue and cooperation can bring about substantial progress in inter-Korean relations,” Mr. Yoon said. (Reuters)

*Thailand: Largest party in parliament does not support ruling coalition's candidate for prime minister: The Bangkok Post reported that the leader of the newly formed People's Party (PP) in Thailand, Mr. Natthaphong Ruengpanyawut, announced that he would continue to lead the opposition as the largest party in parliament and would not support the current coalition before the vote in the House of Representatives to elect a new prime minister on August 16.

On August 14, the Constitutional Court also ruled that Srettha Thavisin had seriously violated ethical standards when he appointed former lawyer Pichit Chuenban, who had served a prison sentence, as Minister of the Prime Minister's Office. This ruling resulted in Srettha being removed from the post of Prime Minister after less than a year in office and simultaneously ending all cabinet positions. (Bangkok Post)

*Korea-Japan tensions remain over the Yasukuni Shrine issue: On August 15, the South Korean Foreign Ministry expressed "deep regret" over Japanese leaders, including Prime Minister Kishida Fumio, sending offerings or making visits to the Yasukuni Shrine, which honors Japanese war dead, including 14 Class A criminals convicted by the Allies in post-World War II trials.

"The Korean government expresses deep disappointment and regret that responsible Japanese leaders have once again sent offerings or visited the Yasukuni Shrine, which glorifies Japan's past war of aggression. We urge responsible Japanese leaders to face history squarely and show humble reflection and true repentance for the past through actions," the South Korean Foreign Ministry said . (Yonhap)

*China pledges aid for Myanmar election: Myanmar state media said on August 15 that China has promised technical support and aid to the military government in Myanmar to conduct a census, followed by an election.

The Global New Light Of Myanmar newspaper said Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi met with government leader Min Aung Hlaing on August 14 during a visit to Myanmar to discuss holding a “comprehensive election.”

After his visit to Myanmar, Wang Yi will attend the Mekong-Lancang Cooperation Foreign Ministers' Meeting in Thailand on August 16. (Reuters)

*The 8th Australia-China High-Level Dialogue: According to a press release from the Australian Foreign Minister's Office on August 15, the Australia-China High-Level Dialogue, bringing together representatives from industry, government, academia, media and the arts, was held in Adelaide, Australia this week.

The Dialogue, established in 2014, is an opportunity to promote discussions on the breadth of the Australia-China relationship, including trade and investment, cultural ties, and regional and international security.

The Chinese delegation will be led by Wang Chao, President of the Chinese People's Institute for Foreign Affairs (CPIFA). This is the fourth time Australia has hosted the Dialogue and the first time the event has been held in Adelaide. (AP)

*Russia sends troops to Mongolia for exercises: On August 15, TASS news agency quoted information from the Ministry of Defense saying that Russia sent forces from the Eastern Military District to Mongolia to participate in joint exercises.

Moscow is currently fighting a Ukrainian offensive in the west of the country, but continues to hold joint military exercises with foreign partners. (Reuters)

Europe

*Russia declares federal state of emergency in Belgorod: On August 15, the Russian Ministry of Emergency Situations declared a federal state of emergency in the Belgorod region, bordering Kursk province.

"The situation in the region remains complex and tense. As a result of terrorist attacks by armed groups of Ukraine in the Belgorod region, houses and infrastructure have been damaged, people have been killed and injured," said the head of the ministry, Alexander Kurenkov.

Earlier, on August 12, the Governor of Belgorod said he had issued an order to evacuate residents in the province located on the border between Russia and Ukraine, in the context of the country's efforts to prevent Ukraine's attack on Kursk province. (Reuters)

*Ukraine shoots down 29 Russian drones: Ukraine's air force said it shot down all 29 drones launched by Russia into eight Ukrainian regions in a nighttime attack on August 14, which officials said caused only minor damage.

The Ukrainian Air Force statement also said that Russia also launched three Kh-59 guided missiles in the attack last night.

The governor of the Mykolaiv region said the air force shot down five drones but did not provide information on casualties. Meanwhile, the governor of Kherson said eight other drones were shot down in the southern Kherson region. (AFP)

*Britain persuades allies to let Ukraine use Storm Shadow missiles to attack Russia: The Times reported that British ministers are trying to persuade allies to let Ukraine use Storm Shadow cruise missiles to attack inside Russia.

In July, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said the British government had given Ukraine permission to use Storm Shadows missiles to strike deep into Russian territory. The Telegraph later reported that the British Ministry of Defense had denied Kiev’s claims.

Earlier, Russia sent a note to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) over the issue of arms supplies to Ukraine. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said that any cargo containing weapons to Ukraine would become a legitimate target for Russia. (Sputniknews)

*Ukraine-Russia discuss Russian prisoners captured in Kursk: On August 14, Ukrainian human rights ombudsman Dmytro Lubinets said he discussed with his Russian counterpart the issue of Russian prisoners captured during a cross-border raid in Russia's Kursk province.

"I see that this situation has at least forced the Russian side to take the initiative," Lubinets said. (Sputniknews)

*France bans Russian warship from docking: La Manche Libre reported that the French province of Manche has banned the Russian frigate Shtandart from docking in Granville to take part in a sailing festival, noting that the ship is banned from entering any port in the province.

According to previous information, the ship's crew was having difficulty docking due to anti-Russian sanctions imposed at the end of June.

The Shtandart warship is an exact replica of a military ship built by Tsar Peter the Great in 1703 to defend the city of St. Petersburg. The modern version of the Shtandart was built in 1999. The ship is based in St. Petersburg, but has been operating along the Mediterranean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean for a long time. (TASS)

*Russia foils terrorist attack plot in Tyumen: The Federal Security Service (FSB) of Russia announced that it had foiled a terrorist attack plot planned by two supporters of mass murder ideology in Tyumen province and they were detained.

“The FSB, in cooperation with the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation, prevented a terrorist attack in the Tyumen region. As a result of the measures taken, two Russian citizens, supporters of the ideology of mass murder, were detained while planning to detonate an improvised explosive device at the premises of the internal affairs agencies of the city of Tobolsk, Tyumen region,” the statement said. (Sputnik)

*Russian-American sentenced to 12 years in prison for treason: Interfax news agency reported on August 15 that a Russian court sentenced Ksenia Karelina, a Russian-American woman, to 12 years in prison for treason.

The Los Angeles spa worker pleaded guilty last week in a Yekaterinburg court. The charges against Ksenia Karelina were based on a donation of more than $50 she made in February 2022 to a charity supporting Ukraine. (Reuters)

*UN asks Russia to allow access to attacked border areas: On August 15, the UN human rights office asked Moscow to allow them to visit Russian border areas affected by cross-border attacks by Ukrainian forces.

"The UN human rights office has sent a request to the Russian authorities to facilitate access to areas of the Russian Federation affected by hostilities, including the Belgorod, Bryansk and Kursk regions, in accordance with our human rights monitoring and assessment mandate," Liz Throssell, a spokeswoman for the office, confirmed. (AFP)

*Ukraine denies allegations of involvement in Nord Stream gas pipeline explosions: On August 15, Ukrainian presidential adviser Mykhailo Podolyak denied all allegations of Kiev's involvement in the Nord Stream and Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline explosions, instead pointing to Russia as the culprit behind those sabotage acts.

Meanwhile, the Wall Street Journal (WSJ) reported that former senior military commander of Ukraine Valery Zaluzhny also denied media reports that he had organized sabotage of the Nord Stream and Nord Stream 2 gas pipelines, contrary to the decision of Ukrainian President Zelensky. (Reuters)

Middle East – Africa

*Turkey to continue using Russia's S-400 air defense system: Turkiye newspaper reported that Turkey will use rather than sell the S-400 air defense system that Ankara bought from Russia until it builds its own domestic air defense system.

Earlier, Forbes magazine said that Turkey is building the Iron Dome air defense system and that the country may sell the S-400 system it owns to third countries, especially India or Pakistan, after the domestic air defense system is activated.

Earlier in an interview with the Hurriyet newspaper, the expert did not rule out the possibility that the S-400 could be integrated into the Iron Dome air defense system. In 2017, Turkey purchased four units of the S-400 air defense system from Russia at a cost of $2.5 billion. (TASS)

*Egypt, Morocco, UAE Refuse to Participate in Peacekeeping Mission in Gaza: Israel Army Radio reported on August 14 that Egypt, Morocco and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) have refused to send troops to the Gaza Strip to carry out a peacekeeping mission that could be deployed after the military conflict ends.

“Several Arab countries, including Egypt, Morocco and the UAE, have refused to send troops to Gaza to carry out a peacekeeping mission, as they do not want to be seen as allies of Israel,” the source said.

UAE officials have said they would only send troops if the Palestinian Authority requested them. Jordan, Qatar and Saudi Arabia have also rejected US requests to contribute troops to a post-conflict peacekeeping mission in Gaza. (Al Jazeera)

*Israeli Prime Minister denies phone call with Donald Trump: On August 15, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu denied information that he had a phone call with US presidential candidate Donald Trump the day before about the Gaza ceasefire agreement and hostage release negotiations.

Earlier, the Axios news portal cited two US sources, one of whom said that Mr. Trump's phone call was intended to encourage Mr. Netanyahu to accept the deal, but noted that he did not know whether this was actually what the former president told Mr. Netanyahu.

Ceasefire talks took place in Doha, Qatar with the participation of Egypt, the US and Qatar today, August 15. (AFP)

America - Latin America

*US Election: Former President Trump leads Vice President Kamala Harris: A Fox News poll shows former US President Donald Trump leads Vice President Kamala Harris by one percentage point in the presidential race.

Fifty percent of voters surveyed said they would vote for Trump, while 49 percent said they would vote for Harris. The national poll was conducted from August 9 to August 12, involving more than 1,000 registered voters with a margin of error of three percentage points.

The United States will hold a presidential election on November 5. Incumbent President Joe Biden endorses Vice President Kamala Harris as the Democratic Party's candidate in the upcoming presidential election. (TASS)

*Ecuadorian government accuses Vice President of plotting coup: On August 14, the Ecuadorian government accused Vice President Veronica Abad of asking the electoral court to remove President Daniel Noboa as an act of "attempted coup".

The relationship between Mr. Noboa and Ms. Abad has been strained since he took office in November 2023. Last year, President Noboa sent Ms. Abad to Tel Aviv, Israel, to support regional peace efforts. In court papers, Ms. Abad accused Mr. Noboa of deliberately limiting her role in national decision-making, seeking to exclude her from politics, and undermining women’s representation in government.

President Noboa recently announced that he will run for re-election in February 2025. Since taking office, he has focused on improving security and fighting crime in the South American country. (AFP)

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