World News 11/1: Russian and North Korean Foreign Ministers hold talks, Israel sets ceasefire conditions with Hezbollah, Moscow exposes Ukraine's "secret agreement"

US officials accuse foreign interference in elections, Japan and the EU sign a new security and defense treaty, Russia deploys hypersonic weapons to distant seas, Lebanon accuses Israel of "refusing" to cease fire, the Malaysian Prime Minister visits China… these are some of the prominent international events in the past 24 hours.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and his North Korean counterpart Choe Son Hui during a meeting in Moscow, January 2024. (Source: Yonhap)

The World & Vietnam newspaper highlights some of the day's most prominent international news.

Asia- Pacific

*Russian and North Korean Foreign Ministers to hold talks in Moscow: On November 1st, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova announced that Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and his North Korean counterpart Choe Son Hui would hold a bilateral meeting later that day.

On the Telegram app, Zakharova confirmed the meeting and also published photos of Lavrov meeting Choe Son Hui at a train station in Moscow. (Reuters/Sputniknews)

*Malaysian Prime Minister to visit China: On November 1st, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian announced that Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim will visit China from November 4-7.

According to the ministry, the visit will take place at the invitation of Chinese Premier Li Qiang. (THX)

*Japan and EU sign new security and defense treaty: On November 1st, Japan and the European Union (EU) signed a new security and defense partnership treaty in Tokyo, which was welcomed by EU High Representative for Security and Foreign Policy Josep Borrell as a "historic and timely step".

Mr. Borrell and Japanese Foreign Minister Takeshi Iwaya announced the agreement, which will take effect in January 2025. According to local media, the treaty includes more joint military exercises, high-level dialogue, and cooperation in the defense industry. (AFP)

*South Korea and the US conduct their first joint UAV attack exercise: The South Korean Air Force announced on November 1st that it and the United States had conducted their first joint attack exercise using unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), a day after North Korea launched an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM).

The live-fire exercise, involving a South Korean RQ-4B Global Hawk surveillance UAV and a US MQ-9 Reaper attack UAV, took place at an unspecified location in South Korea.

A military source said the two sides had no plans to publicly announce the exercise, but decided to do so to warn North Korea after the ICBM launch. (Yonhap)

*Pyongyang warns of dangerous situation on the Korean Peninsula: On November 1st, during a meeting with his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov in Moscow, North Korean Foreign Minister Choe Son Hui accused the US and South Korea of ​​plotting a nuclear attack against North Korea.

However, Foreign Minister Choe offered no evidence for her accusation, only referring to regular consultations between Washington and Seoul, where she claimed such plots took place.

Warning that the situation on the Korean Peninsula could "explode" at any moment, Foreign Minister Choe told Lavrov that Pyongyang needed to strengthen its nuclear arsenal and improve its readiness to launch a retaliatory nuclear strike if necessary.

Foreign Minister Choe noted: "Due to the machinations of the United States, the situation and security of our country are currently in a very dangerous and unstable state. This is very dangerous for the security of the Korean Peninsula as well as for the entire Northeast Asian region." (Reuters/Sputniknews)

Europe

*Foreign Minister Lavrov: US and Russia "on the brink" of direct conflict: On November 1st, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov warned that his country and the US are on the verge of a "direct military conflict".

In an interview with a Turkish newspaper ahead of the US presidential election, Lavrov noted: "Under the current President (Joe Biden), who has pushed anti-Russian sentiment in the US to its extreme, the two countries are on the brink of direct military conflict."

When asked about the upcoming US election between former Republican President Donald Trump and Democratic candidate Kamala Harris, Lavrov said the outcome would not make much difference for Russia. He said: "We have no preferences. When the Trump administration was in power, they imposed the highest number of sanctions against Russia compared to their predecessors." (AFP)

*EU warns of "Chinese threat" to Europe: On November 1st, the European Union's High Representative for Security and Foreign Policy, Josep Borrell, warned that China's "material and diplomatic" support for Russia in its special operations in Ukraine poses a "direct threat" to European security.

In an interview with Japan's Kyodo news agency, Borrell emphasized: "China's increased exports of a large quantity of dual-use goods and materials significantly aid in the construction of Russia's military-industrial base." He also cited North Korea's support for Russia's war in Ukraine as an illustration of "the close link between European security and Indo-Pacific security."

The EU diplomat also called for increased cooperation with Japan and like-minded nations in the face of Russia's conflict in Ukraine and other security threats. (Kyodo)

*Russia deploys hypersonic weapon-equipped ship to distant seas for the first time: The press office of Russia's Northern Fleet announced on November 1st that the Admiral Golovko destroyer, part of Project 22350 of the Russian Navy and equipped with Tsirkon hypersonic missiles, has begun its first voyage to distant seas.

In a statement, the office confirmed: "Today, a group of ships from the Northern Fleet left Severomorsk port and began a long-distance deployment. The units of the group set sail for the Atlantic Ocean via designated areas in the Barents Sea. For the destroyer Admiral Golovko, which was commissioned by the Russian Navy in December 2023, this is its first long-distance deployment."

The primary objective of this long-distance deployment is to ensure the presence of the Russian Navy in key operational areas across the oceans. (TASS)

*Russia sentences former US consulate employee to prison: On November 1, Russia's Primorsky District Court sentenced Robert Shonov, a former employee of the US Consulate General in Vladivostok and a Russian citizen, to 4 years and 10 months in prison for collaborating with the US.

Last month, the Russian Foreign Ministry declared two employees of the US Embassy in Moscow as "persona non grata" who "conducted illegal activities by maintaining contact with Russian citizen Shonov, allegedly 'secretly cooperating' with a foreign country."

Defendant Shonov was also ordered to pay a fine of $10,269 and will be subject to probation for one year and four months after serving his prison sentence. (Sputniknews)

*Russia exposes "secret agreement" between Ukraine and the US: Russian Ambassador to the United Nations Vassily Nebenzia has just revealed shocking information about secret annexes to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky's peace plan. According to these annexes, Kyiv is willing to grant Washington the right to exploit many strategic resources such as uranium, titanium, lithium, and graphite.

Speaking at a UN Security Council meeting on October 31, Nebenzia emphasized that this could violate Article 13 of the Ukrainian Constitution, which stipulates that Ukrainian territory does not belong to the government. Furthermore, Kyiv also agreed to transfer assets of its defense industry to Brussels in exchange for loans from frozen Russian assets.

The plan, announced by Zelensky in mid-October, aims to end the conflict by 2025 and includes five publicly available clauses and three secret annexes. The main proposals are Ukraine's accession to NATO, the lifting of restrictions on attacks on Russian territory, and the implementation of a "comprehensive non-nuclear deterrence package."

This plan has drawn criticism from both the EU and NATO for placing too much responsibility on Western allies without any commitment from Kyiv. (TASS)

Middle East-Africa

*Lebanon accuses Israel of "refusing" a ceasefire: On November 1st, Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati criticized Israel's "expansion" of attacks on his country, saying it showed Tel Aviv's refusal to mediate a ceasefire after more than a month of war.

Speaking after overnight Israeli raids on southern Beirut suburbs, the first such attack this week, Mikati stated: "The Israeli enemy's continued expansion of its aggression into parts of Lebanon, its constant threats to completely evacuate people from cities and villages, and its continued targeting of southern Beirut suburbs with sabotage attacks, all confirm Tel Aviv's rejection of any ongoing efforts to achieve a ceasefire." (AFP)

*Iran summons German chargé d'affaires after consulate closure: On November 1st, the Iranian news agency ILNA reported that the Iranian Foreign Ministry summoned the German chargé d'affaires ad interim in Tehran, Hans-Peter Jugel, following Germany's decision to close Iranian consulates.

On October 30, the German news agency DPA reported that the German Foreign Ministry had decided to close all three Iranian consulates in its territory following the execution of Jamshid Sharmahd, a German citizen of Iranian origin, in Iran. However, the Iranian embassy in Berlin will continue to operate.

In February, Sharmahd, one of the leaders of the Tondar group, which opposes the current Iranian government and supports the restoration of the monarchy in Iran, was sentenced to death by the Tehran Revolutionary Court on charges of "corruption and treason by planning and directing terrorist acts." The death sentence was carried out on October 28. (Sputniknews)

*Israel sets conditions for ceasefire with Hezbollah: On October 31, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told US Special Envoy Amos Hochstein and Middle East Advisor Brett McGurk, who were visiting the country, that any ceasefire agreement with Hezbollah must guarantee Israel's security.

The Israeli Prime Minister's office stated: "The Prime Minister made it clear that the main issue is not the paperwork for this or that agreement, but Israel's determination and capacity to ensure the implementation of the agreement and prevent any threats to its security from Lebanon."

On the same day, Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant also met separately with US representatives to discuss security agreements related to the northern front and the hostage exchange in Gaza. Over the past year, 39 people have died from rocket attacks from Lebanon, including seven on October 31 alone. (Al Jazeera)

*US-Israel discuss efforts to de-escalate Middle East tensions: On November 1st, US Department of Defense Press Secretary Major General Pat Ryder announced that US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and his Israeli counterpart Yoav Gallant had spoken by phone and discussed opportunities to de-escalate tensions in the Middle East.

According to the department's press release, during the phone call, Austin also reaffirmed Washington's commitment to "protecting Americans, Israelis, and partners across the region from threats posed by Iran and Iranian-backed groups."

Additionally, the two ministers discussed the steps Israel is taking and will take to "improve the dire humanitarian situation in Gaza," as well as the prospects for a ceasefire and the release of hostages. (Sputniknews)

Americas - Latin America

*US Presidential Election: Two candidates neck and neck in several battleground states: According to polls conducted by the Lowell Center for Public Opinion at the University of Massachusetts and YouGov, Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris leads Republican opponent Donald Trump in voter support in the swing states of Michigan and Pennsylvania, while Trump leads in North Carolina.

Polls show that 49% of respondents support Vice President Harris in Michigan compared to 45% for former President Trump. In the key swing state of Pennsylvania, Harris is leading Trump by a narrow margin, with 48% and 47% respectively.

However, former President Trump is leading his opponent by 2 percentage points in North Carolina with 47% of the vote, while Harris received 45%. The US presidential election will take place on November 5th. (Sputniknews)

*Brazilian President Cancels APEC Meeting in Peru: On October 31, the Brazilian government announced that President Lula da Silva had canceled his trip to attend the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit, scheduled to take place in Lima, Peru, on November 14-15.

This is the fourth overseas trip that President Lula has canceled since falling at home on October 19th. Doctors have advised President Lula against traveling far.

Last week, Mr. Lula announced he would cancel his attendance at the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP29), to be held from November 11-22 in Baku, Azerbaijan. He also canceled his trip to Kazan, Russia, to attend the 16th BRICS Summit. He also canceled his attendance at the UN Conference on Biological Diversity (COP16) in Cali, Colombia. (AFP)

*US officials accuse foreign interference in elections: On October 31, Georgia election official Brad Raffensperger said there is "intentional misinformation" circulating online regarding the US election. This is likely the result of "foreign interference aimed at sowing discord and chaos."

The office's statement read: "This morning (October 31), our office became aware of a video showing a Haitian immigrant with multiple Georgia identification numbers claiming to have voted multiple times… This is false and is an example of the deliberate disinformation we have seen in this election. It is possible that foreign interference is being used to sow discord and chaos on the eve of the election." (Reuters)

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