The World & Vietnam Newspaper highlights some notable world news this morning, January 12.
Asia
THE STAR. Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim and his Singaporean counterpart Lee Hsien Loong witnessed the signing of the MoU on the establishment of the Johor-Singapore Special Economic Zone (JS-SEZ).
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| The two Prime Ministers attended the ceremony to launch the final phase of the Rapid Transit System (RTS Link) project between the two countries on January 11. (Source: Reuters) |
THX. Chinese Commerce Minister Wang Wentao and his US counterpart Gina Raimondo held a phone call and agreed to implement the points reached between the two countries' leaders regarding trade and economy.
CHINA DAILY. China's auto exports in 2023 rose 57.9% year-on-year to a record high of 4.91 million units , as domestic automakers expanded overseas.
KYODO. Japan's Suzuki Motor Corp. will invest 350 billion rupees ($4.2 billion) to build a new car manufacturing plant in the Indian state of Gujarat to consolidate its leading position in the world's third-largest auto market.
BANGKOK POST. The Thai government is set to launch an initiative on inclusive education and equitable access to quality education, aimed at reducing school dropouts.
VIENTIANE TIMES. Laos Digital Week is taking place in the capital Vientiane, aiming to promote the use of innovative technology, information and communication technology (ICT) and digital technology in socio-economic development.
FOX NEWS. An explosion in the western part of Afghanistan's capital Kabul on January 11 killed two people and injured 12, the third such incident in the city in less than a week.
ARAB NEWS. Saudi Arabia has announced new residency programs aimed at attracting skilled workers and foreign investment as it pushes ahead with plans to diversify its economy.
RUDAW. Iraqi troops killed three Islamic State (IS) militants in an airstrike in Kirkuk province.
IRNA. Iran's navy seizes a US oil tanker in the Gulf of Oman, following a court order.
ISNA. Iran holds high-level parliamentary meeting of member countries of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) in Tehran, discussing the Palestinian issue.
AFP. The UN has once again warned of the dire humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip as airstrikes continue, causing more casualties and destroying vital civilian infrastructure in the strip.
AP. World trade activity in November-December 2023 decreased by 1.3% as Houthi forces in Yemen attacked commercial ships passing through the Red Sea, causing a sharp decrease in the volume of goods transported through this route.
Europe
DW. Speaking during a visit to the Philippines, German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock criticized the activities of the Chinese coast guard in the East Sea, including the use of lasers and water cannons.
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| Philippine Foreign Secretary Enrique A. Manalo and his German counterpart Annalena Baerbock are visiting Manila, January 11. (Source: DFA) |
FRANCE 24. The French navy is working closely with the forces of the international naval coalition to protect ships passing through the Red Sea, said French Navy Commander Rear Admiral Emmanuel Slaars.
AFP. Italian Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani spoke by phone with his Japanese counterpart Kamikawa Yoko, who is visiting Sweden, affirming that the two countries will continue to cooperate on the situation around the Gaza Strip.
ANADOLU. Turkey, Bulgaria and Romania have reached a cooperation agreement to ensure the safety of shipping in the Black Sea , after months of negotiations.
BBC. The UK government has unveiled its Civil Nuclear Roadmap , a plan that London calls “the biggest expansion of nuclear power in 70 years to increase energy independence and meet carbon emissions targets”.
CNN. Finland will keep its border with Russia closed for another four weeks until February 11, confirming earlier reports that all border crossings would remain closed.
REUTERS. The Greek government is urging people to get vaccinated against flu and Covid-19 as infections have surged in recent weeks.
America
BLOOMBERG. Twitch, Amazon's video game streaming platform, is laying off 500 employees (one-third of its workforce) due to financial difficulties, despite its popularity among gamers.
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| Founded in 2011, Twitch was later acquired by Amazon in 2014 for nearly $1 billion, but the company has recently encountered many difficulties, leading to the closure of operations in the major market of South Korea due to cost issues. (Source: Bloomberg) |
BLOOMBERG. US securities regulators have given the green light to a group of Bitcoin exchange-traded funds (ETFs) to trade on the stock market.
AP. Social network X laid off more than 1,000 employees globally in departments responsible for preventing harmful content, resulting in thousands of banned accounts being restored, allowing harmful content to spread rapidly.
BLOOMBERG. The administration of US President Joe Biden supports legislation that would allow the seizure of nearly $300 billion in frozen Russian assets to pay for the reconstruction of Ukraine.
FOX NEWS. The United States is monitoring the situation in Ecuador and stands ready to work with the government of the South American country to address the violence, according to US National Security Council spokesman John Kirby.
FINANCIAL TIMES. The Argentine government and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) have agreed at the expert level on the latest assessment of the country's $44 billion loan program.
SPUTNIK. Head of the Office of the President of Ukraine Andréi Yermak had a telephone conversation with Secretary of the President of Argentina Karina Milei to discuss the possibility of holding a Ukraine-Latin America summit.
AP. Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador said the crisis and instability in Ecuador are only temporary, and hopes security and stability will soon be restored in the country.
RTI. The Nicaraguan government has closed four organizations with ties to Taiwan (China) after the Central American country severed diplomatic ties two years ago in favor of China.
Africa
MINING.COM. Diamond mining company Lucara Diamond has discovered a 166-carat type IIa diamond at Botswana's Karowe mine.
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| The type IIa diamond, which is all carbon and considered the purest and most valuable, is the 328th over 100 carats since the Canada-based company began mining in 2012. (Source: Mining.com) |
AHRAM. Egyptian Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly held an online meeting with officials of the Danish shipping company Maersk to discuss developments in the Red Sea and ways to enhance cooperation.
CNN. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken met with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi in Cairo on the final leg of his Middle East tour aimed at preventing the Israel-Hamas conflict from escalating.
THX. Papua New Guinea Prime Minister James Marape declared a 14-day state of emergency in the capital Port Moresby, after 15 people were killed in riots in which crowds looted and burned shops.
REUTERS. World Health Organization (WHO) Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus expressed concern about the worsening health crisis in Ethiopia.
AFP. The Congo River has risen to its highest level in 60 years, causing floods across the Democratic Republic of Congo and the Republic of Congo, killing more than 300 people in the past few months.
Oceania
CNN. The US State Department has approved a $250 million sale of Tomahawk weapon system support services and related equipment to Australia.
TAIWAN NEWS. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has affirmed that the Australian government will respect the results of the upcoming general election in Taiwan (China), emphasizing that other governments should take similar action.
ABC. Several Australian states such as New South Wales and Victoria have warned of a new wave of Covid-19 infections caused by the JN.1 variant of the SARS-CoV-2 virus.
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