News in Brief -(28-12-2017)

Deal over 'comfort women' faulty: S Korea
SEOUL, Dec 27: South Korea said Wednesday a 2015 deal intended to end a festering dispute with Japan over Tokyo's wartime sex slavery was faulty, reopening a historical wound as the two countries try to rein in North Korea. Seoul and Tokyo signed the agreement to settle the hugely emotional and decades-long issue with a Japanese apology and payment of money to survivors. Following an election pledge, the new government of President Moon Jae-In ordered a review of the unpopular deal which was struck by his now-jailed predecessor Park Geun-Hye. — AFP

Russia loses contact with Angolan satellite
MOSCOW, Dec 27: Russia has lost contact with Angola's first national telecoms satellite hours after it was launched from the Baikonur space pad, a source in the space industry told AFP on Wednesday. The incident involving the Russian-made Angosat-1 is a new embarrassment for the country's once proud space industry after Russia in November lost contact with a weather satellite after it was launched from a new cosmodrome in the country's far east. "Contact has temporarily been lost," the source said, adding specialists were now looking into the matter.— AFP

Brazil orders Venezuela diplomat out
BRASILIA, Dec 27: Brazil on Tuesday ordered the top diplomat at Venezuela's embassy, Gerardo Delgado, to leave the country, in retaliation for Caracas booting out the Brazilian ambassador. "Brazil has decided to declare the Venezuelan charge d'affaires persona non grata," a Brazilian foreign ministry spokesman told AFP. "In practice, this means he will have to leave the country. It is a swift measure," he said. Venezuela announced on Saturday that Brazil's ambassador to Caracas, Ruy Pereira, was no longer welcome as it viewed the Brazilian government as illegitimate. — AFP

Ex-oil official to face trial on graft charges in Vietnam
HANOI, Dec 27: A former Vietnamese official allegedly kidnapped from Germany will go on trial in Hanoi in January on corruption charges, officials said Wednesday, a high-profile case that could see the ex-oil executive put to death. Vietnam's communist government has jailed or arrested scores of former officials, bankers and state executives this year as part of a sweeping anti-corruption crackdown that some observers say is driven by political infighting. — AFP