Russia makes surprising admission about Syria situation, denies Assad’s whereabouts; South Korean president banned from traveling abroad

World and Vietnam Newspaper highlights some outstanding international events in 24 hours.

Currently, information about the whereabouts of ousted Syrian President Bashar al-Assad after he left the country remains a secret. (Source: TASS)

Europe

* Russia refuses to confirm the whereabouts of ousted Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. On December 9, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told journalists: "As for the whereabouts of President Assad, I have nothing to tell you... What happened surprised the whole world and in this case, we are no exception."

Mr. Peskov affirmed that Russia will discuss the status of two Russian military bases in Syria with the country's new rulers.

Russia said it was in dialogue with Turkey and other countries in the region about the situation in Syria, saying the Middle Eastern country was currently in a very difficult period due to instability. (AFP)

* The situation of the Ukrainian army is difficult on all fronts, according to the latest operational summary published on the Telegram channel of the country's General Staff. (TASS)

* Two Turkish military helicopters collided in mid-air in southwestern Turkey on December 9, causing one to crash and killing five soldiers. The other helicopter landed safely. Among the victims was a major general in charge of an aviation school.

It is still unclear what caused the two helicopters to collide. An investigation is underway. (AP)

* Romania's opposition party has asked President Klaus Iohannis to declassify information related to the December 2 parliamentary elections, similar to information related to the recently canceled presidential election.

According to the Romanian opposition party Renewal of the European Project (REPER), there are all the prerequisites that affect the fairness of the entire electoral process, in the context of cyber warfare and risks related to national security, it is necessary to declassify the above information. (Vietnam News Agency)

Asia-Pacific

* South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol is banned from leaving the country pending an investigation into charges of treason and other crimes related to the imposition of martial law last week.

The ban was issued by the South Korean Ministry of Justice on December 9, shortly after the Corruption Investigation Office of Senior Officials (CIO) announced that it had submitted a request for the order.

On the same day, South Korean prosecutors summoned the commander of the Army's Special Operations Command, Lieutenant General Kwak Jong-keun, to investigate his role in the imposition of martial law. (Yonhap)

* Russia opposes the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) "militarization of Southeast Asia, as well as its expansion into this part of the planet," Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Andrey Rudenko said at the 15th Asian Conference of the Valdai Discussion Club.

Noting that Russia's cooperation with regional partners "is consistent with today's realities," the diplomat said, Moscow believes that Asia "deserves a constructive approach to peace, stability and economic development in line with the goals of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), ASEAN and the Asia-Europe Meeting." (TASS)

* China "resolutely defends" its sovereignty and stresses that Taiwan is an "inseparable" part of its territory. (AFP)

* At least 40 schools in Delhi, India, have received bomb threats and demands for $30,000 in emails. Police are conducting preliminary searches at the school premises. (ANI)

* Australia and Nauru have announced a landmark security pact , boosting Canberra's goal of expanding its influence in the Pacific region.

Under the deal announced, Australia will provide $64 million in support to Nauru’s budget and an additional $25 million to bolster its police force to ensure security. In return, Nauru will consult Australia before signing any bilateral agreements on maritime security, defence and policing, as well as access to critical infrastructure such as ports and airports or the banking sector. (ABC News)

Middle East-Africa

* Any political transition in Syria must include accountability for those responsible for serious violations under President Bashar al-Assad's regime, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk said on December 9.

"Every measure must be taken to protect all minorities and prevent acts of revenge and retaliation," he stressed. (AFP)

* Israel wants to establish neighborly and peaceful relations with the emerging forces in Syria, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on December 8, but he also warned: "Otherwise, we will do everything necessary to protect the State of Israel and its borders." (Times of Israel)

* Prime Minister Abdul-Hamed Dbeibah approved the National Food Security Strategy 2025-2035 on December 8, which includes 174 projects and 65 programs to ensure the country's food security.

The Libyan government affirmed its commitment to providing necessary resources and support to implement this strategy, aiming to increase domestic production, achieve food self-sufficiency and build a sustainable food system. (THX)

America

* Hopes are high that Gaza hostages will be released before the inauguration of US President-elect Donald Trump, his Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff said on December 9. (Reuters)

* At least 110 people were murdered by gangs over the weekend in the Cite Soleil neighborhood of the capital Port-au-Prince, Haiti, according to the National Network for the Defense of Human Rights (RNDDH) of this country on December 8.

According to RNDDH, all the victims were over 60 years old, of whom about 60 were murdered on 6 December and about 50 others were lynched a day later with knives. The leader of the armed gang Wharf Jeremie was behind the incident. (AAP)

Source: https://baoquocte.vn/tin-the-gioi-912-nga-thua-nhan-bat-ngo-ve-tinh-hinh-syria-cu-tuyet-ve-tung-tich-ong-assad-tong-thong-han-quoc-bi-cam-xuat-ngoai-296785.html