WASHINGTON (Anadolu) - The U.S. Army has temporarily suspended all Apache helicopter training flights following a crash earlier this week near Fort Hood, Texas, that claimed the lives of two soldiers. “Army leaders directed a temporary stand-down of AH64 Apache training flight operations,” the army said in a statement. “The stand-down will remain in effect until we have a better understanding of the root cause of the accident.” Investigators with the Army Combat Readiness Center arrived at the crash site Thursday and will oversee the investigation. The AH-64 Apache is an attack helicopter designed to carry two crew members, with the pilot seated in the rear and the co-pilot and gunner positioned in the front, according to the army.

 

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BEIJING (Xinhua)- China strongly deplores Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s monetary offering to the Yasukuni war shrine and visits to the shrine by certain cabinet members, and has lodged serious protests against Japan in response, a Foreign Ministry spokesperson said on Saturday. August 15 marks the day of Japan’s unconditional surrender in World War II. “During WWII, Japan launched the war of aggression and committed horrendous crimes,” the spokesperson said. “The Yasukuni war shrine is a spiritual tool and symbol of Japanese militarism.” The shrine honors 14 convicted Class-A war criminals responsible for the war of aggression and is “in fact a shrine for war criminals”, the spokesperson added.

 

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CEUTA (Reuters) - Spain has beefed up police and military presence in its North African enclave of Ceuta amid social media messages encouraging migrants to attempt another mass border breach on Saturday, two weeks after tens of thousands rushed into the city. Soldiers in combat fatigues stood watch outside supermarkets and official buildings on Friday evening, while police cars heavily patrolled the enclave’s main avenues. Still, outdoor cafes were packed with diners and the downtown area was calm compared to the tense scenes from the days following the deadly rush on July 30.

 

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SEOUL (Reuters) - South Korean President Lee Jae Myung called on Saturday for talks with North Korea to pursue peaceful coexistence, saying Seoul would seek safeguards to prevent conflict and noting the need to replace the peninsula’s armistice with a “peace regime.” In a speech marking the anniversary of Korea’s liberation from Japanese colonial rule, Lee said the two Koreas should hold a sit-down for coexistence. He urged dialogue between North Korea and concerned parties to end the 1950-53 Korean War, which was stopped by a ceasefire, not a peace treaty, and said discussions could also explore effective measures to curb Pyongyang’s nuclear capabilities.

 

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SAO PAULO (Reuters) - Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva continues to lead Senator Flavio Bolsonaro, although the right-wing challenger has narrowed the gap with the leftist incumbent ahead of October’s election, a Quaest poll showed on Friday. In a simulated second-round runoff, Lula would receive 43% support compared with 40% for Bolsonaro. An August 5 Quaest poll had Lula leading Bolsonaro by 44% to 39%. The most recent runoff figures also represent a virtual tie, as the poll has a margin of error of two percentage points. In a first-round scenario, Lula would lead with 38% of the votes, followed by Bolsonaro (31%), Renan Santos (4%), Ronaldo Caiado (4%) and Romeu Zema (2%). Senator Bolsonaro is the eldest son of former President Jair Bolsonaro. If no candidate wins more than 50% of valid votes in the first round, the two frontrunners advance to a runoff.