Russia ratifies treaty with North Korea, Indonesia chases Chinese ships in the East Sea, US Secretary of State goes to Qatar again

Ukraine dismissed the Chief of Staff of the UAV Command, Germany and Austria summoned North Korean envoys related to Russia, many NATO countries opposed Ukraine joining the alliance, Cuba asked the US to lift the embargo... are some of the outstanding international events in the past 24 hours.

Russia's lower house of parliament ratifies military treaty with North Korea. (Source: Reuters)

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

Asia- Pacific

*South Korea-US large-scale air force exercise: The South Korean Air Force said it and the US began a large-scale joint air force exercise called Freedom Flag on October 21, aimed at enhancing readiness to deal with threats from North Korea.

The 12-day exercise took place at various air bases in South Korea, involving about 110 aircraft, including South Korean F-35A and F-15K stealth fighters, US F-35B and F-16s, and MQ-9 drones. The Royal Australian Air Force also participated with KC-30A multi-role refueling aircraft.

According to the South Korean Air Force, this is the first time the exercise has involved coordination between fighter jets and drones, aiming to simulate real-life combat situations based on recent conflicts, such as the war in Ukraine. (Yonhap)

*Indonesia drives Chinese ship away from disputed area in South China Sea: Indonesia said on October 24 it had driven a Chinese coast guard ship away from a disputed area in the South China Sea twice in recent days, the latest move by a Southeast Asian nation to protest Beijing’s actions in the strategic waterway.

“The Chinese Coast Guard vessel returned to Indonesia’s jurisdiction in the North Natuna Sea on October 23,” the Indonesian Maritime Security Agency said in a statement. The Chinese vessel first entered the disputed waters on October 21, and when an Indonesian vessel tried to contact the Chinese vessel via radio, the Chinese Coast Guard claimed the area was under Beijing’s jurisdiction, the agency said.

Indonesia complained that the Chinese ship had "harassed survey activities" conducted by state oil company Pertamina. An Indonesian coast guard vessel followed the Chinese ship and chased it away. (AFP)

*China claims not to know about North Korea's troop deployment to Russia: On October 24, the Chinese Foreign Ministry affirmed that it was not aware of North Korean soldiers in Russia, after the US announced that it had evidence that Pyongyang had mobilized 3,000 soldiers to Russia for possible deployment to Ukraine.

Responding to a press conference about whether there are North Korean troops in Russia, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lin Jian stressed: "The Chinese side is not aware of the situation. China's stance on the Ukraine crisis is consistent and clear. We hope all parties will promote the de-escalation of the situation and commit to a political solution."

Earlier on October 23, US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said there was "evidence that there are North Korean military personnel in Russia." (Reuters)

*Russian State Duma ratifies cooperation treaty with North Korea: On October 24, the Russian State Duma (Lower House) voted to ratify the cooperation treaty between the country and North Korea.

Russian President Vladimir Putin and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un signed a mutual defense treaty during Putin's visit to Pyongyang in June.

Russia and North Korea have stepped up cooperation since the start of the war in Ukraine, with South Korea and Ukraine saying North Korean troops were preparing to deploy to support Russia. (Reuters)

*Laos ready to join BRICS: Speaking at the BRICS Plus conference within the framework of the 16th BRICS Summit in Kazan, Tatarstan, Russia, Lao President Thongloun Sisoulith declared that this Southeast Asian country is ready to become a full member of BRICS.

BRICS+ is attended by representatives of nearly 40 countries, including leaders of several countries of the Commonwealth of Independent States, Asia, Africa, the Middle East and Latin America, as well as heads of international organizations. (TASS)

*South Korea considers supplying weapons to Ukraine: South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol said on October 24 that the country may consider supplying weapons to Ukraine, depending on the level of military cooperation between Russia and North Korea.

President Yoon Suk Yeol made the remarks after talks with Polish President Andrzej Duda in Seoul, in which both leaders strongly condemned North Korea's troop deployment to Russia and agreed to strengthen joint responses to growing security threats.

On October 23, South Korean intelligence agencies and the White House confirmed that about 3,000 North Korean soldiers had been sent to eastern Russia for training. (Yonhap)

*Japan continues to impose sanctions on Russia: On October 24, Japanese Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary Kazuhiko Aoki announced that Tokyo will maintain its stance in support of Ukraine and continue to impose restrictive measures against Moscow.

Commenting on the BRICS Summit statement in Kazan calling for opposition to unilateral sanctions, Mr. Aoki stressed: "This is the foundation for peace, stability and prosperity not only for Japan but for all countries…".

Article 10 of the BRICS Declaration, adopted on October 23, expressed the organization's concern about the negative impact of illegal unilateral coercive measures, including illegal sanctions, on the global economy, international trade and the achievement of the sustainable development goals. (Sputniknews)

Europe

*Russia conducts missile drills in Avacha Bay: On October 24, the Pacific Fleet press service reported that the Pacific Fleet's "Gremyashchiy" frigate launched "Kalibr" missiles at a coastal target in Kamchatka from Avacha Bay.

The information reads: “The crew of the Pacific Fleet's Gremyashchiy corvette launched a missile at a coastal target using the high-precision Kalibr complex from the waters of Avacha Bay... The Kalibr missile hit the target at the Kura training ground in the Kamchatka region.”

The missile launch was carried out in difficult weather conditions. The missile's flight range is about 1,300 km. (Sputnik)

*Many NATO countries oppose Ukraine joining the alliance: Politico quoted US and NATO officials as saying that some alliance countries, including the US and Germany, are hesitant to respond to Ukrainian President Zelensky's request for an immediate invitation to join NATO due to concerns about causing a direct conflict with Russia.

Germany and the United States are at the top of the list of countries holding back Kiev's entry into the bloc, according to the source. "Countries like Belgium, Slovenia or Spain are hiding behind the United States and Germany. They are reluctant," an unnamed official said. Hungary and Slovakia are also against Ukraine's entry.

Another diplomat said the administration of US President Joe Biden believes that most EU countries will not support Ukraine's accession to NATO in the near future. (TASS)

*Russia accuses Britain of covering up arms supplies to Ukraine: The Russian Embassy in London said in a recent statement that Britain had used the grain corridor protection program to cover up the supply of weapons to the Ukrainian army via the Black Sea.

The Russian Embassy stated: "The British authorities have again launched a new anti-Russian tactic. They argue that our attacks on Ukrainian ports and ships entering them are being intensified, which is allegedly causing disruptions in food supplies to the Palestinian people and grain supplies to the countries of the Southern Hemisphere. In general, this is a self-defeating act." (TASS)

*Ukraine dismisses Chief of Staff of Unmanned Systems Command: Chief of Staff of the Unmanned Systems Command of the Ukrainian army - Captain Roman Hladkyi - was dismissed after only 2 months of appointment.

The "Public" page quoted a source from the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense as revealing that the reason Captain Hladkyi was dismissed was because of suspicions that his relatives had ties to Russia.

Notably, Ukrainian media reported that Captain Hladkyi was also suspected of treason. Accordingly, this officer had crossed the border to Russia during the conflict between Kiev and Moscow. (UNN)

*Germany, Austria summon North Korean envoys over concerns over support for Russia: The German and Austrian foreign ministries on October 23 summoned North Korea's top envoys in Berlin and Vienna due to growing concerns that Pyongyang is deploying troops and weapons to support Russia's war in Ukraine.

Earlier in the day, the US announced for the first time that it had evidence of the presence of North Korean troops in Russia, while South Korean lawmakers said Pyongyang had dispatched about 3,000 troops to support Moscow's war in Ukraine and would continue to deploy more. (DW)

Middle East-Africa

*US Secretary of State visits Qatar in an effort to ease Gaza tensions: On October 24, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken arrived in Doha to conduct talks with Qatar - the mediator for the Gaza Strip conflict, in a diplomatic effort to prevent further escalation in the region.

The visit to the Gulf emirate, which hosts the political office of the Palestinian militant group Hamas and has led mediation for a Gaza ceasefire with the US and Egypt, follows talks in Israel and Saudi Arabia. It is Mr Blinken's 11th visit to the region since war broke out last year. (AFP)

*Israel strikes Damascus amid tensions in Gaza: Syria's state news agency SANA said Israel carried out an airstrike on the Kafr Sousa residential area in central Damascus early on October 24.

Several loud explosions were recorded in the area, but there were no reports of casualties.

Israel regularly targets Iran-linked targets in Syria and has stepped up attacks since the Hamas Islamist group launched a rocket attack on Israel on October 7 last year. Israel has not commented on the incident. (Reuters)

*Saudi Arabian and Iranian navies conduct joint exercises in the Sea of ​​Oman: Saudi Arabian Defense Ministry spokesman - Brigadier General Turki al-Maliki - said on October 23 that the country's military recently held joint naval exercises with Iran and other countries in the Sea of ​​Oman.

Earlier, on October 20, Iran's IRNA news agency reported that the Iranian Navy, Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and coast guard are participating in the multinational naval exercise called IMEX 2024 in the northern Indian Ocean with Russia and Oman. According to the Organizing Committee, Saudi Arabia, India, Thailand, Pakistan, Qatar and Bangladesh have sent representatives to participate as observers.

In 2023, Iran and Saudi Arabia resumed diplomatic relations under a deal brokered by China. (Al Jazeera)

*Israel accuses 6 Al Jazeera journalists of being “terrorists”: The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) announced on October 23 that it had discovered documents in the Gaza Strip showing that 6 journalists from Qatar's Al Jazeera TV channel were members of two “terrorist groups”: Hamas and Palestine Islamic Jihad (PIJ).

In response, Al Jazeera TV channel denied the above information and condemned the IDF's "baseless" accusations. (Arab News)

America - Latin America

*Cuba demands US lift embargo: Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel has hit back at the White House after Washington criticized the humanitarian impact of the power outage on the Caribbean island. He demanded the US lift the decades-long economic embargo, which is blamed for Cuba's current plight.

Earlier, on October 21, White House spokeswoman Karine Jean-Pierre said the Biden administration was concerned about the “potential humanitarian impact” of the power outage on the Cuban people and was ready to intervene if necessary. She confirmed that Havana had not requested any assistance.

On the social network X, the Cuban President wrote: “41 countries and several international organizations have expressed solidarity with Cuba, which is facing the double burden of the hurricane and the energy emergency with admirable resilience. The United States says we are not asking for anything. This is our request: lift the blockade.” (Sputnik)

*US spends millions of dollars in military aid to Guatemala: During her visit to Guatemala, the Commander of the US Army's Southern Command (SOUTHCOM) - General Laura Richardson - on October 23 announced a military equipment aid package worth nearly 13 million USD to the Central American country. This is part of the 24 million USD aid program that Washington has provided to the government of President Bernardo Arévalo.

Since President Arévalo took office in January 2024, Guatemala has become Washington's key ally in Central America, replacing previous bilateral tensions under former President Alejandro Giammattei. (AFP)

*US declares North Korean troops are legal targets if they fight in Ukraine: The White House announced on October 23 that North Korean soldiers training in Russia would become legal military targets if they fought in Ukraine.

Speaking to reporters, White House National Security Council spokesman John Kirby asserted: "If these North Korean soldiers decide to join the war against Ukraine, they will become legitimate military targets."

Meanwhile, a US official revealed on the same day that at least 3,000 North Korean soldiers are being trained at military bases in Russia's Far East. (Reuters)

Source: https://baoquocte.vn/tin-the-gioi-2410-nga-phe-chuan-hiep-uoc-voi-trieu-tien-indonesia-duoi-tau-trung-quoc-o-bien-dong-ngoai-truong-my-lai-di-qatar-291266.html