VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

photo : thenewyorktimes

Washington has dispatched a special envoy for Afghanistan to press for peace talks between the government and Taliban fighters, with the diplomat scheduled to visit Kabul on a trip with stops in five nations. The US State Department said on Saturday (Jul 25) that US Special Representative for Afghanistan Zalmay Khalilzad departed on Friday to travel to Kabul, Islamabad, Oslo and Sofia. The United States is drawing down its troops in Afghanistan under an agreement struck in February with the Taliban. The agreement aimed to pave the way for formal peace talks between the insurgents and the Afghan government, and Khalilzad's task is to try and bring both sides to the table. Khalilzad plans to press for a deal on prisoner exchanges and a reduction in violence, two issues that have hampered progress toward starting peace talks//CNA

photo : theweek

The US and UK have accused Russia of testing a weapon-like projectile in space that could be used to target satellites in orbit. The US State Department described the recent use of "what would appear to be actual in-orbit anti-satellite weaponry" as concerning. Russia's defence ministry earlier said it was using new technology to perform checks on Russian space equipment. The US has previously raised concerns about new Russian satellite activity. But it is the first time the UK has made accusations about Russian test-firing in space. In a statement on Thursday, US Assistant Secretary of State for International Security and Non-proliferation, Christopher Ford, accused Moscow of hypocrisy after it said it wanted arms control to be extended to space. The head of the UK's space directorate, Air Vice Marshal Harvey Smyth, said he was also concerned about the latest Russian satellite test, which he said had the "characteristics of a weapon"//BBC

photo : theconversation

Israeli fighter jets have come dangerously close to an Iranian passenger plane in Syrian airspace, Iran's Irib state news agency reports. It says the pilot of the Mahan Air aircraft had to quickly change altitude, which resulted in injuries among several passengers. Video posted by Irib shows one jet from the window of the plane and a passenger who had blood on his face. Irib later quoted sources as saying the fighter jets could be American. The Mahar Air aircraft en route from Tehran to Beirut later landed safely, an airport source in the Lebanese capital told Reuters news agency. It was not immediately known how many passengers and crew were on board the plane. Neither Israel nor the US have commented on the reported incident//Reuters/BBC

photo : reuters

The head of the World Health Organization said on Thursday (Jul 23) that reported comments by US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo questioning his independence were untrue and would not distract the organisation from its work in fighting the coronavirus. Director General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus has come under criticism, especially from US President Donald Trump and Pompeo, who have accused him of being pro-China. Tedros said in response to a question at a Geneva briefing about remarks by Pompeo reported in London on Tuesday. He said that our sole focus - and the focus of the entire organisation - is on saving lives. A WHO advance team has been in China for nearly two weeks, organising a WHO-led international mission to investigate the origins of the virus. Scientists believe it emerged in a food market in the central city of Wuhan late last year//Reuters