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Inter-Korean Summit To Be Held In Pyongyang in September

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Inter-Korean Summit To Be Held In Pyongyang in September

In a major development North and South Korean officials have agreed for third summit between their leaders Kim Jong-un and Moon Jae-in, to be held in North Korean capital Pyongyang in September. Representatives of the two countries said in a joint press statement Monday.

According to the statement issued at the end of the meeting “South Korea and North Korea agreed to hold the summit in September in Pyongyang.” The exact date for the summit was not announced.

The agreement was made during a ministerial-level meeting at the request of North Korea held on the North’s side of Panmunjeom within the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) held on Monday morning.

The talks were led by South Korea’s unification minister Cho Myoung-gyon and North Korea’s Ri Son-gwon, the chairman of the committee for the peaceful reunification of the country.

“During the meeting, the two Koreas discussed issues that need to be actively dealt with. They also talked on how to implement follow-up measures to the Panmunjeom Declaration,” said the statement.

Read More: Surprise: North-South Korean leaders held “sudden meeting”

South Korea’s unification minister Cho Myoung-gyon, while briefing media said the North reaffirmed its commitment for permanent peace on the Korean Peninsula and explained its denuclearization measures.

Inter-Korean Summit To Be Held In Pyongyang in September

“Further specifics relating to the upcoming summit in Pyongyang will be discussed at working-level meetings. Seoul asked Pyongyang to speed up its nuclear disarmament talks, which have seen little progress, since the Washington-Pyongyang summit in Singapore. Regarding the request, the North said the country was pushing forward with steps agreed to by the United States,” Cho said.

Read More: North Korea criticize US for misleading and provocative move

Meanwhile, North Korea’s Chairman of committee for the peaceful reunification Ri Son-gwon said that two Koreas also agreed to quickly finish establishing a liaison office in the Gaeseong Industrial Complex; and that the South would provide supplies and materials to modernize the North’s railway infrastructure.

Two Koreas have agreed for a summit amidst growing doubts over Pyongyang’s “sincere intention” toward denuclearization that North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and President Donald Trump agreed to at their June 12 summit in Singapore.

The “complete” denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula was reportedly agreed to in exchange for security guarantees from Washington. At earlier inter-Korean summit in April, Seoul and Pyongyang also agreed on denuclearization.

Read More: North and South come closer on Korean Peninsula

After North Korea-US summit held in June in Singapore this year, Pyongyang has destroyed a nuclear test facility, begun dismantling missile test sites and returned the remains of U.S. troops killed during the 1950-1953 Korean War as concessions to the United States.

North Korea now wants reciprocity from US administration such as a partial lifting of economic sanctions.

The US has not responded to the North Korean gestures. However, U.S. State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert said it has communication with North Korea both by phone and text after Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and White House National Security Advisor John Bolton expressed “uneasiness” with the lack of progress on denuclearization.

Read More: North Korean leader Kim meets South Korean high ranking officials

Recently North Korean Foreign Minister Ri Yong-ho criticized the US for maintaining economic sanctions and not responding to the North’s request to officially declare an end to the Korean War.

A South Korean official has reportedly said, “The third summit is aimed at maintaining momentum on various fronts based on mutual trust. Talks must focus on narrowing differences between all interested parties to establish a permanent peace.”

The ministerial meeting lasted for 71 minutes after starting at 10:00 a.m. Expectations were high that it would be successful as South Korea’s Ri made “goodwill gestures” to North’s Cho.

“I realize that now is an era in which we hold hands to go forward together,” Ri said in his opening remarks, according to pool reports.

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US reiterates its call for fair, transparent, legal process for Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal, speaks on Congress frozen accounts

The US spokesperson said that they are also aware of the Congress party’s allegations that tax authorities have frozen some of their bank accounts in a manner that will make it challenging to effectively campaign in the upcoming elections.

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A day after India summoned an US diplomat over their remarks on the arrest of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal in the liquor policy case, the US reiterated its call for fair, transparent, timely legal processes on Wednesday.

Responding to questions on India summoning Gloria Berbena, the US Acting Deputy Chief of Mission in New Delhi, US State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller said that they will continue to follow these actions closely, including the arrest of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal. Notably, the meeting at the foreign ministry’s South Block office lasted nearly 40 minutes yesterday with India objecting strongly to the US remarks on the arrest of Arvind Kejriwal.

Matthew Miller also responded to a question on the Congress party’s frozen bank accounts. The US spokesperson said that they are also aware of the Congress party’s allegations that tax authorities have frozen some of their bank accounts in a manner that will make it challenging to effectively campaign in the upcoming elections. He added that the US encourages fair, transparent and timely legal processes for each of the issues.

Arvind Kejriwal was arrested last week by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in connection to the Delhi liquor policy scam. Earlier, AAP leaders Manish Sisodia, Satyendar Jain and Sanjay Singh were arrested in the same case.

The External Affairs Ministry had earlier stated that states are expected to be respectful of the sovereignty and internal affairs of others, and this responsibility is even more so in case of fellow democracies, adding that it could otherwise end up setting unhealthy precedents.

The Ministry further emphasized that India’s legal processes are based on an independent judiciary which is committed to objective and timely outcomes. It mentioned that casting aspersions on India’s legal procedure is unwarranted.

The United State’s remarks followed days after Germany’s Foreign Office stressed that Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal is entitled to a fair and impartial trial. The Indian government labelled their remark as blatant interference in internal matters.

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5 Chinese nationals killed in suicide bomb attack in Pakistan

This is the third major attack on Chinese interests in Pakistan within a week.

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Nearly five Chinese nationals were killed in an explosion during an attack on their convoy by a suicide bomber in northwest Pakistan on Tuesday. Reportedly, the suicide bomber rammed an explosives-laden vehicle into a convoy of Chinese engineers travelling from Islamabad to their camp in Dasu, situated in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province.

Regional police chief Mohammad Ali Gandapur said that five Chinese nationals and their Pakistani driver were killed in the attack. As yet, none has claimed responsibility for the attack. Bisham Station House Officer (SHO) Bakht Zahir asserted that the incident was a suicide blast and the authorities concerned were collecting the evidence.

The Station House Officer further added that security arrangements were tightened at the spot and the bodies were being shifted to a hospital. He added that they will investigate from where and how the vehicle of a suicide bomber came and how it happened. Notably, this is the third major attack on Chinese interests in Pakistan within a week.

Previously, two attacks hit an airbase and a strategic port in the southwest province of Balochistan where China is investing billions in infrastructure projects. Several Chinese engineers and Pakistani construction workers have for multiple years been working on hydroelectric projects as part of Beijing’s Belt and Road Initiative in the western province of Khyber-Paktunkhwa.

Notably, Dasu is home to a significant dam project, has been a target of previous attacks. Earlier in 2021, the attack in Dasu resulted in the deaths of nine Chinese nationals, along with two Pakistani children. The incident occured when a bus carrying Chinese engineers and workers to the Dasu Hydropower Project site was targeted.

There was confusion surrounding the nature of the attack initially, with some reports suggesting it was a bus accident. Nonetheless, subsequent investigations revealed that it was indeed a terrorist attack. The bus was hit by a blast, leading it to plunge into a ravine.

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US bridge collapses after being hit by ship

The rescuers were searching for at least 7 people in the water. Some reports said upto 20 construction workers were there on the Baltimore Bridge at the time of the incident. A video of the incident which was widely shared on social media showed the moment the 3 km long bridge collapsed.

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Major portions of the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore, US collapsed on early Tuesday morning after it was hit by a large container ship. The incident occurred at nearly 1.30 am (US local time). The Baltimore City Fire department said the collapse is a mass casualty incident.

According to reports many vehicles fell into the river below. The rescuers were searching for at least 7 people in the water. Some reports said upto 20 construction workers were there on the Baltimore Bridge at the time of the incident. A video of the incident which was widely shared on social media showed the moment the 3 km long bridge collapsed.

It seems the vessel had hit one of the supports of the Francis Scott Key Bridge, causing the roadway to break apart in many places and plunge into the water. The ship caught fire and appeared to sink. Grace Ocean Pte Ltd, the registered owner of the ship, and the manager, Synergy Marine Group, said it is a Singapore flagged ship Dali which collided with a pillar of the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore, Maryland.

He said the exact cause of the incident is yet to be determined; the Dali has now mobilized its qualified individual Incident response service. It added that all crew members, including the 2 pilots who were aboard, have been accounted for and there are no reports of injuries.

The local traffic police said all lanes on both directions of the bridge have been closed and the traffic is being de-toured. Maryland Governor Wes Moore also declared a state of emergency after the collapse of the bridge. The bridge was opened in 1977, spans the Patapsco River, a vital artery that along with the Port of Baltimore is a hub for shipping on the East Coast. It is named after the writer of the Star Spangled Banner.  

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