Abyzemen

The Republic of Korea (ROK) and the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) have agreed to conduct a joint inspection on railways across the border from November 30, Seoul's unification ministry said Wednesday. The joint survey would last for 18 days from Friday on railways across the heavily-armed inter-Korean border. The inspection on DPRK's railways along the eastern coast would mark the first since the Korean Peninsula was divided with the armistice agreement that suspended the 1950-53 Korean War. The peninsula remains in a technical state of war because of the armistice agreement. The two Koreas originally planned to carry out the joint survey in late July, but it was delayed for about four months as the U.S.-led United Nations (UN) Command disapproved of it. The UN Command handles military affairs inside the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) dividing the peninsula. Consultation for the joint survey was resumed this week as the United Nations granted a sanctio

Slovenia and Croatia will continue a joint tourism promotion campaign on the Chinese market, with the latest support of funds from the European Travel Commission (ETC). The Slovenian Tourist Board (STO) and the Croatian National Tourist Board (HTZ) made the announcement on August 29. The two tourist organizations applied in last June for ETC funds, intended for the promotion of European countries on the Chinese market, with a joint project, to be carried out between October 2018 and March 2019, worth a total of 204,000 euros (239,000 US dollars). The ETC will reimburse half of the costs of the project, according to the STO press release on August 29. The joint campaign of Slovenia and Croatia, intended for potential tourists from China and other remote markets, thus continues to run under the slogan "Experience Croatia" and "Feel Slovenia". STO Director Maja Pak indicated that China is one of the most prospective global tourist markets "with a proj

Slovenia has become the only NATO state to appoint a woman as the chief of its military. Major General Alenka Ermenc is the first female Chief of the General Staff of the Slovenian army, taking over from her predecessor Alan Geder on Wednesday. The 55-year-old former commander has served in the army since 1991, the year Slovenia declared independence from Yugoslavia. Ermenc studied at the Royal College of Defense Studies and King's College University, both in London. Her promotion comes after a change of government in September when Prime Minister Marjan Sarec took power following a June general election. (Top image: Major General Alenka Ermenc, newly appointed as chief of the Slovenian Army, looks on in Ljubljana, Slovenia, November 23, 2018.

Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko signed a decree on Monday to introduce martial law for 60 days, a statement on his website said, though it needs parliamentary approval to come into force. The decision came a day after Russia fired at and captured three Ukrainian vessels, triggering a  sharp escalation in tension  between the two countries. Moscow accused the vessels of illegally entering its waters in the Azov Sea.   Ukraine's parliament is expected to debate the decree later on Monday. NATO will hold an emergency meeting with Ukrainian officials at alliance headquarters in Brussels on Monday over the naval standoff off the coast of Crimea. The United Nations Security Council will also hold an emergency meeting over the issue on Monday. China urges restraint on both sides in order to prevent an escalation in tensions, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said at a regular press briefing on Monday, adding that the d

Russian President Vladimir Putin warned Ukraine against any "reckless acts" on Tuesday after Kiev declared martial law in response to Moscow's seizure of three of its navy vessels. The Ukrainian parliament late on Monday voted in favor of President Petro Poroshenko's request for the introduction of martial law in parts of the country for 30 days. Read more :  Ukrainian president decrees martial law amid Russia standoff The decision came as Ukraine and Russia face their most dangerous crisis in years after Russian forces fired on, boarded and captured Kiev's ships on Sunday off the coast of Crimea. The incident was the first major confrontation at sea in the long-running conflict pitting Ukraine against Moscow and Russian-backed separatists in the country's east. It has raised fears of a wider escalation -- in a conflict that has killed more than 10,000 people since 2014 -- and prompted international calls for restraint and offers of mediation. M

U.S. President Donald Trump said on Tuesday he may cancel his scheduled meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin at the G20 summit in Argentina because of Russia's maritime clash with Ukraine. In an interview with the Washington Post, Trump said he was awaiting a "full report" from his national security team about Russia's capture of three Ukrainian naval ships and their crews. "That will be very determinative," Trump told the Post, adding that "Maybe I won't have the meeting. Maybe I won't even have the meeting ... I don't like that aggression. I don't want that aggression at all." Trump is due to meet Putin on the sidelines of the G20 summit in Buenos Aires, which convenes on November 30. The Trump-Putin meeting will cover security issues, arms control, and issues in the Middle East and Ukraine, White House national security adviser John Bolton told reporters. Russia opened fire on the Ukrainian boats and then seiz

WASHINGTON, Nov. 27 (Xinhua) -- U.S. National security adviser John Bolton said on Tuesday that U.S. President Donald Trump and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman are not expected to hold a formal bilateral meeting during the Group of 20 (G20) summit in Argentina. In a press briefing at the White House, Bolton, when asked to confirm whether Trump will meet with the Saudi leader, said that Trump's "bilateral schedule is full to overflowing at this point." However, he did not exclude the possibility of the two leaders' informal meeting. Bolton also said that Trump, during his stay in the South American nation, is expected to meet with the presidents of Argentina, South Korea, Turkey, Russia as well as Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. Trump's meeting with Abe "will transform at some point during that meeting into a trilateral meeting" with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Bolton added. Also at the press briefing, White House spokespers