Russia neutralizes Ukrainian spy, Malaysia has new king, former Chinese prime minister passes away

Israel neutralizes key Hamas leader, new US House Speaker talks about huge aid package, Pheu Thai has new president... are some notable international news in the past 24 hours.

Former Chinese Premier Li Keqiang has passed away. (Source: Xinhua)

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

* Russia neutralizes spies in southern Ukraine : On October 27, the Russian Federal Security Service (FSB) emphasized: "Due to a special operation in Zaporizhzhia, the FSB has prevented the activities of three large spy groups coordinated by Ukrainian intelligence." A man suspected of working for Ukrainian intelligence was killed after a shootout, but the FSB did not provide further details.

In addition, administrators of a pro-Ukrainian online chat room and a media outlet in Russia-controlled Melitopol were detained, who were allegedly persuading residents to gather information on “locations and movements of Russian troops” and promoting “an anti-Russian agenda.” (AFP)

* Russia thwarted 3 attacks on Kursk nuclear power plant : On October 27, the Telegram channel “Shot” reported that unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) of the Armed Forces of Ukraine (VSU) attempted to attack the Kursk nuclear power plant in the city of Kurchatov 3 times on the evening of October 26.

The first was discovered at 8:20 p.m. on October 26, near the factory's administrative complex checkpoint. The UAV was equipped with an unidentified explosive device that failed to detonate. Experts seized and destroyed the UAV.

The second attack was detected by the Russian military at around 9:30 p.m. on the territory of the nuclear power plant in the dog kennel area. This UAV was intercepted by the air defense system of the area, forced to land and did not explode. The third UAV was intercepted at around 11:40 p.m., crashed next to a nuclear waste storage facility and exploded. The facade of the storage building was damaged, but no one was injured.

Earlier, the Russian Defense Ministry announced that its air defense systems had destroyed a Ukrainian UAV in the Kursk region. On the evening of October 26, the Russian Defense Ministry announced that it had thwarted a Ukrainian UAV attack on a facility in the region. (TASS)

* Hungary warns of EU's "failed" strategy on Ukraine: On October 26, speaking on Hungarian state radio, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban warned that the European Union's (EU) Ukraine strategy "failed" and the EU needs to develop a plan B because Kiev will find it difficult to win the conflict.

On the sidelines of the EU summit in Brussels, Mr Orban also said there was a “big fight” over support for Ukraine and he saw no reason for Hungary to send taxpayers’ money to support Ukraine.

The European Commission has previously proposed that member states contribute more to a common fund to provide 50 billion euros to Ukraine and an additional 15 billion euros for migration. Another proposal would allocate 20 billion euros in military aid to Ukraine.

In response, Mr. Orban stated: “We found this proposal to be poorly implemented and unsuitable as a basis for serious negotiations, so we rejected it.”

Next December, the EU will decide on a revision of its 1.1 trillion euro (about $1.2 trillion) 2021-2027 budget, which has been strained by emergency spending during the Covid-19 pandemic and since the Russia-Ukraine conflict erupted in early 2022. (Reuters)

* New US House Speaker wants to separate funding for Ukraine and Israel : On October 26, in an interview with Fox News (USA), new US House Speaker Mike Johnson said funding for Ukraine and Israel should be handled separately. At the same time, this Senator emphasized that he will not support President Joe Biden's $106 billion aid package for both countries. (Reuters)

* Israel eliminates Hamas leader who “directed” the attack on October 7 : On October 26, the Israeli Armed Forces (IDF) released a video taken by a UAV of an airstrike on a target in Khan Yunis, southern Gaza Strip, neutralizing Mr. Shadi Barud. Specifically, Israeli aircraft dropped at least 2 precision bombs, destroying at least 4 buildings to eliminate this character. It is still unclear how many Palestinian civilians were killed along with Mr. Barud in the attack.

The IDF accuses this figure of being a direct target, along with Hamas head Yahya Sinwar, of planning the attack on Israel on October 7, an event the Jewish State calls Black Saturday.

In related news, Israeli officials said the weapons used by Hamas in the incident were made in Iran. The accusation was made when the Israeli military presented to the media weapons recovered from southern Israeli communities attacked by Hamas on October 7, including mines, grenade launchers, and some homemade drones.

Among the weapons were Iranian-made mortars and North Korean-made grenade launchers. Israeli military officials estimated that about 10 percent of the weapons seized were made in Iran and 10 percent in North Korea. The rest were made in Gaza. (Reuters)

* Hamas: Israeli airstrike kills many hostages : On October 26, the AP news agency quoted the armed wing of the Hamas movement as saying that “nearly 50” Israeli hostages were killed in the Jewish state’s attack on the Gaza Strip. However, AP has not been able to verify the accuracy of this information.

Earlier, Israel deployed tanks and infantry to conduct a lightning raid on the night of October 25 into the Gaza Strip. Several Hamas targets were targeted, while the IDF prepared for a large-scale ground offensive in the coming days. Earlier, the IDF launched a tank raid into the northern Gaza Strip “in preparation for the next phase of operations”. However, the Israeli soldiers also quickly left the area after a short period of time.

In a related news, speaking to AP in Beirut (Lebanon), Hamas Politburo member Ghazi Hamad stated: “We need more from our allies, including Hezbollah in Lebanon. Hezbollah is fighting the occupation. We appreciate this effort. But we need more to stop Israel's actions in the Gaza Strip. We expect more.” (AP)

* Hamas highlights Russia's role in resolving the conflict : On October 26, RIA Novosti (Russia) quoted Politburo member of the Palestinian Hamas Islamic movement Hussam Badran as saying: "Russia can play a greater role in ending the actions against our people in the Gaza Strip and exerting international pressure to provide emergency aid to our people in the Gaza Strip."

He also noted that Hamas appreciates Russia's role at the international level, especially Moscow's use of its veto power at the United Nations Security Council in response to proposals from Israel's ally the United States.

Earlier, the Russian Foreign Ministry confirmed that Abu Marzuk, a member of the Hamas Politburo, had arrived in Moscow. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said President Vladimir Putin would not meet the delegation.

For its part, Israel has criticized Russia for inviting Hamas to Moscow. The Israeli Foreign Ministry has demanded that Russia expel members of the movement. (RIA Novosti)

* UN concerned about “war crimes” in Israel-Hamas conflict: Speaking in Geneva on October 27, UN human rights spokesperson Ravina Shamdasani expressed concern about “war crimes”. The official also expressed concern about the situation of Gaza residents in the face of the current conflict.

Meanwhile, the same day, at a press conference in Jerusalem, the head of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA), Philippe Lazzarini, warned that if Israel continues to tighten its siege on the Gaza Strip, many Palestinians will die from lack of food, water and medicine. This official called on the Jewish State to allow more convoys of emergency aid into the Gaza Strip.

Israel is currently limiting the number of aid trucks that can pass through the Rafah border crossing with Egypt. Meanwhile, UNWRA staff are in dire need of fuel to operate generators and other machinery to assist in relief efforts. (Reuters)

* Tunisia, OIF call on Israel to stop shelling Gaza Strip : On October 26, Tunisian Foreign Minister Nabil Ammar and Secretary General of the International Organization of La Francophonie (OIF) Louise Mushikiwabo had a phone call. A statement from the Tunisian Foreign Ministry said: “During the phone call, Mr. Ammar stressed that Tunisia, as a founding member of OIF… cannot remain silent in the face of such a terrible situation.”

The two officials agreed on the urgency of adhering to the common values ​​recommended by the OIF, including the need to respect human life and coexistence. They also discussed the upcoming Francophone Ministerial Conference, scheduled to take place in November in Yaounde, Cameroon, under the chairmanship of the Tunisian President. (VNA)

* Japanese Foreign Minister plans to visit Israel : On October 26, Jiji Press reported that Japanese Foreign Minister Yoko Kamikawa is considering visiting Israel in early November.

Amid the escalating conflict between Israel and the Palestinian militant group Hamas, the diplomat aims to pave the way for a quick detente. She will be the first Japanese cabinet minister to visit Israel since Hamas began its attacks on Israel on October 7. However, Japan may have difficulty coordinating the visit as Israel prepares for an invasion of the Gaza Strip.

Last week, Japan's foreign minister attended the Cairo Peace Summit in Egypt to ease tensions in Gaza. On the sidelines of the event, she met with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and exchanged views on measures to ease tensions and improve the humanitarian situation. (Jiji Press)

* US-China foreign ministers hold talks in Washington: October 26: The US State Department said that US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi met in Washington. The statement confirmed: "Secretary Blinken met with the Chinese Foreign Minister in Washington. The two sides discussed a range of bilateral, regional and global issues, including resolving differences and exploring areas of cooperation." Mr. Blinken also reiterated that the US continues to stand up for its interests and values.

The top US and Chinese diplomats are scheduled to continue discussions on October 27.

On this occasion, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken sent condolences to China over the death of former Prime Minister Li Keqiang. (Reuters/Sputnik)

Southeast Asia

* Former Prime Minister Thaksin's youngest daughter was elected as president of the Pheu Thai Party : On October 27, Ms. Paetongtarn, the youngest daughter of former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, was elected as the new leader of the Pheu Thai Party (For Thailand), the party leading the current ruling coalition in Thailand.

The 37-year-old politician was chosen to replace Cholnan Srikaew, who resigned earlier during a meeting of the Pheu Thai Executive Committee and key members at the party's headquarters in Bangkok on the morning of October 27. ( Thai PBS)

* US donates 12 Mekong River patrol boats to Thailand : On October 27, the US handed over 12 patrol boats to the Thai Coast Guard to operate on the Mekong River to combat drug trafficking, smuggling and cross-border crime. The donation event was held at the headquarters of the Coast Guard Division 11 in Muang District, Nong Khai Province, northeastern Thailand, with the participation of US Ambassador to Thailand Robert F. Godec, local officials and representatives of the Central Bureau of Investigation, the Thai Coast Guard.

Ambassador Godec said the 12 vessels, worth a total of 75.4 million baht ($2.15 million), were specially designed to operate on rivers with rapids and low water levels during the dry season like the Mekong.

Responding to Ambassador Godec, Nongkhai Governor Rachan Soonhua affirmed that the donation of the ships represents the good relationship between the two countries. He emphasized that these new ships will play an important role in the operations of the Thai Coast Guard along the Mekong River, contributing to the suppression of crime and various security threats.

Prior to the handover of the vessel, representatives from the US Coast Guard and the US State Department’s International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Division (INL) helped train 24 Thai Coast Guard officers on how to operate the patrol vessel from October 16-26.

Thai officials said 12 coast guard stations along the Mekong River in Coast Guard Divisions 10, 11 and 12 will be equipped with one ship each. (Bangkok Post)

* Malaysia elects Sultan Ibrahim as 17th king : On October 27, the state news agency Bernama (Malaysia) reported that the Malaysian Council of Kings elected the Sultan of Johor, Sultan Ibrahim Sultan Iskandar, as the 17th King. He will be officially crowned King on January 31, 2024, replacing his predecessor Sultan Abdullah Sultan Ahmad Shah. (Xinhua)

Northeast Asia

* Former Chinese Premier passes away : On October 27, Li Keqiang, member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the 17th, 18th and 19th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China, passed away in Shanghai at the age of 68. Accordingly, on October 26, the former Chinese Premier suffered a sudden heart attack. After unsuccessful resuscitation measures, he passed away at 00:10 on October 27 (ie 23:10 on October 26, Hanoi time). (Xinhua News Agency)

* IAEA completes assessment of wastewater discharge at Fukushima : On October 27, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) completed its safety assessment of Japan's discharge of treated radioactive water from the Fukushima nuclear power plant into the sea.

Specifically, seven IAEA officials and experts from nine of the 11 member countries of the task force, including China and Russia, participated in the mission. The delegation conducted on-site inspections of water treatment and waste disposal facilities at the nuclear complex that was devastated by the 2011 earthquake and tsunami.

During their mission in Japan, the delegation members also exchanged opinions with Japanese government officials, plant operator Tokyo Electric Power Company Holdings Inc. (TEPCO) and the nuclear regulatory agency on the plant's waste discharge activities and environmental monitoring procedures.

Since August 2023, TEPCO has discharged about 15,600 tons of water treated with a liquid treatment system that removes most radionuclides, except tritium. The tritium has been diluted with seawater to a concentration of 1/40th of the concentration allowed by Japan's safety standards before being discharged into the sea. (Kyodo)

* Sweden deports Quran burner : On October 26, TV4 (Sweden) reported that the Swedish Migration Agency has decided to deport Salwan Momika, the Iraqi man who burned copies of the Quran at recent demonstrations in the capital Stockholm.

However, according to Swedish television, despite the decision, the Swedish Migration Agency still granted a temporary residence permit to the above subject until April 2024 due to "some complicated issues in the implementation of the decision".

The Swedish Migration Agency has not yet made an official comment. On the same day, in an interview with SVT , Mr. Momika asserted: “I will not leave Sweden. I will live and die here. The Migration Agency has made a serious mistake. I suspect there is a political motive behind this decision. I will appeal.” (VNA)

* Hungary links immigration issues to terrorist attacks: On October 26, Prime Minister Viktor Orban spoke as he prepared to go to Brussels (Belgium) to attend an EU conference on reforming asylum regulations.

Hungary is opposed to EU plans to share responsibility for accepting asylum seekers across the bloc or to pay for them, he said. “I hope more and more people in Brussels will see that there is a very clear link between terrorism and migration. Those who support migration also support terrorism. We are against terrorism. Therefore, we do not support migration.”

Previously, the two perpetrators behind the recent bloody attacks in France and Belgium were both extremists and had their asylum applications rejected. (Vietnam News Agency)

* Huge explosion in Egyptian Red Sea town : Two Egyptian security sources said on October 27 that a flying object crashed in the Red Sea resort town of Nuweiba. The object fell in the desert area of ​​the area. A witness said he heard a loud explosion and saw clouds of dust in the distance. Local authorities are currently gathering more information about the incident.

Meanwhile, the IDF said the object that fell in Egypt was related to a “threat in the sky over the Red Sea,” but did not provide further details. (Reuters)

* US attacks Iran-linked facilities in Syria : On October 26, the Pentagon Press Office issued a statement confirming: “Today (October 26), at the direction of President Joe Biden, US military forces conducted defensive strikes on two facilities in eastern Syria used by the Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and affiliated groups.” (TASS)

* Preliminary results of local elections in Mozambique: On October 26, the National Electoral Commission (CNE) of Mozambique announced the final results for the local government elections in Mozambique held on October 11.

According to the results, the ruling Mozambique Liberation Front (FRELIMO) party won 64 out of the country's 65 centrally-governed cities/municipalities. The Mozambican Democratic Movement (MDM), the third-largest party, won only in Beira. The Mozambique Resistance Movement (RENAMO), the second-largest party, did not win any locality.

Under Mozambique’s electoral law, the results of the vote will still have to be confirmed and announced by the Constitutional Council (CC), the country’s highest judicial electoral body. Previously, the Council, Mozambique’s highest authority on constitutional and electoral law matters, had rejected three appeals by RENAMO over the preliminary results.

The October 11 election was the sixth local government election in Mozambique. The event took place in 65 cities across the country, including 12 cities that voted for the first time. Opposition parties, especially RENAMO, launched many marches to protest the election results across the country, alleging “massive fraud” in the ballots. On October 25, RENAMO and MDM leaders met and pledged to cooperate “to restore the truth of the election”. (VNA)

Source: https://baoquocte.vn/tin-the-gioi-2710-nga-vo-hieu-hoa-diep-vien-ukraine-malaysia-co-quoc-vuong-moi-cuu-thu-tuong-trung-quoc-tu-tran-247743.html