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Xinhua world news summary at 1530 GMT, Aug. 21

Xinhua, August 21, 2015 Adjust font size:

South Korea's top military officer on Friday warned the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) of "a harsh price" for any further provocations.

Defense Minister Han Min-koo issued a statement to the public, saying that if the DPRK causes any provocations on the excuse of propaganda broadcasts, the South Korean military will sternly and severely retaliate and make the DPRK pay a harsh price for the provocations. (S.Korea-DPRK-Ties)

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PYONGYANG -- The Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) on Friday again denied the South Korean military's accusation of shelling the south, and blasted Seoul for fabricating such an incident.

The current complicated and tense situation between the two Koreas was attributed to hostile provocations from the south, Kim Yong Chol, director of the investigation bureau of the General Staff of the Korean People's Army, said at a press briefing, rebuffing Seoul's claim that Pyongyang was the first to make provocation. (DPRK-S.Korea-Fire Trading)

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BRUSSELS -- The European Union (EU) said Friday that it was not concerned about the implementation of Greece's third bailout program, a day after Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras announced his resignation and called a snap election.

"The commission respects the decision of Prime Minister Tsipras to go to the polls swiftly. For us, it was not a surprise," said Annika Breidthardt, coordinating spokesperson for Economic and Financial Affairs of the European Commission, or the executive body of the EU. (EU-Greece-Debt)

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MANILA -- At least four people died on Friday and more than 700 people have been displaced due to typhoon Goni (local name Ineng), police and civil defense officials said.

Two of the fatalities were burred by a landslide in north Philippine province of Benguet, said Cordillera regional police spokesperson Cherry Fajardo. (Philippines-Typhoon)

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ANKARA/ISTANBUL -- Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan announced on Friday that Turkey will hold a snap election on Nov. 1 after coalition talks between the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) and opposition parties failed following the June 7 polls.

"I will take Turkey to election on Nov. 1," he told media after Friday prayer in Istanbul. (Turkey-Election)

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ATHENS -- Greece's main opposition conservative New Democracy (ND) party leader Evangelos Meimarakis on Friday received the mandate to form a government from Greek President Prokopis Pavlopoulos, following the resignation of the Leftist Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras and his ruling coalition on Thursday evening.

Addressing the nation on Thursday, the outgoing Premier asked Greek people to hand him a fresh clear mandate in snap general elections that should be held as soon as possible in order to implement the new third bailout and lead the country out of the debt crisis. (Greece-Conservatives) Endi