Malaysia reshuffles cabinet, South Korean president visits Netherlands, US welcomes distinguished guests from Eastern Europe

The World & Vietnam Newspaper highlights some notable world news this morning, December 12.

Asia

NATION THAILAND. Thailand has begun operating a rail transport network to export agricultural products to China, Russia and the EU.

Chuyến hàng vận chuyển nông sản đầu tiên đã bắt đầu khởi hành vào ngày 10/12 từ ga Map Ta Phut, tỉnh Rayong và dự kiến sẽ đến Thành Đô, Trung Quốc vào ngày 15/12 sau đó sẽ tiếp tục di chuyển đến Nga và Ba Lan. (Nguồn: Nation Thailand)

The first shipment of agricultural products departed on December 10 from Map Ta Phut station in Rayong province and is expected to arrive in Chengdu, China on December 15, before continuing to Russia and Poland. (Source: Nation Thailand)

THE STAR. Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim is expected to announce a cabinet reshuffle today, December 12.

MANILA TIMES. The Indonesian National Police (Polri) will deploy 70,350 personnel to ensure security for Christmas and New Year celebrations, as part of the "Candle 2023" campaign from December 22, 2023 to January 2, 2024.

BLOOMBERG. China's TikTok app announced a $1.5 billion investment in Indonesia's GoTo technology group in a deal that will allow TikTok to relaunch its online store there.

XINHUA. China released a report on energy transition prospects, affirming its pursuit of green growth with low CO2 emissions.

NBS. China's grain output in 2023 rose 1.3 percent year-on-year to a record high of 695.41 million tonnes, according to data from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS).

YONHAP. A US F-16 fighter jet crashed into the Yellow Sea after taking off from Gunsan Air Base in South Korea, the pilot ejected from the plane and escaped safely.

ANADOLU. The Executive Board of the World Health Organization (WHO) adopted a resolution calling for “immediate and unhindered” humanitarian access to Gaza.

TIMES OF ISRAEL. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called on militants from the Palestinian Hamas movement to "surrender now".

AL JAZEERA. Israel will not be able to use force to rescue hostages , Hamas' al-Qassam Brigades spokesman Abu Ubaida said.

Europe

AFP. Thousands of people took to the streets of Brussels (Belgium) to protest against rising anti-Semitism across Europe amid the conflict between Israel and the Hamas Islamist movement in the Gaza Strip.

YONHAP. South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol began a visit to the Netherlands to strengthen bilateral cooperation in the semiconductor and defense industries.

Tổng thống Hàn Quốc Yoon Suk Yeol và phu nhân Kim Keon Hee lên đường tới Hà Lan tại căn cứ không quân Seoul ở Seongnam, Hàn Quốc, ngày 11/12/2023. (Nguồn: Yonhap)

President Yoon Suk Yeol's visit, which took place at the invitation of Dutch King Willem-Alexander, marked the first visit by a South Korean president to the Netherlands since the two countries established diplomatic relations in 1961. In this photo: President Yoon Suk Yeol and his wife depart for the Netherlands at Seoul Air Base in Seongnam on December 11. (Source: Yonhap)

AP. The largest cargo border crossing between Ukraine and Poland has reopened despite weeks of protests by Polish transport companies that have prevented truck drivers from crossing the border.

NTV. The S-400 surface-to-air missile system that Turkey purchased from Russia is in storage ready for use when needed , Defense Minister Yasar Guler said.

REUTERS. The sleeper train service between Berlin and Paris has officially reopened, after a hiatus of nearly a decade, with the first train departing from Berlin's main station.

DW. Multinational corporation Bosch announced plans to cut 1,500 jobs at two transmission factories in Germany, as auto parts suppliers struggle with the shift to electric vehicles.

SWISS INFO. A shooting occurred in the city of Sion, Valais canton, Switzerland, leaving two people dead and another injured, the suspect is an unidentified male.

America

CNN. US President Joe Biden and his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelensky held talks in Washington DC today, December 12, as Democrats tried to reach a deal in Congress to provide additional aid to Kiev.

NBC NEWS. The US Department of Commerce will provide $35 million in grants to Britain's largest defense technology group BAE Systems to quadruple production in New Hampshire of key semiconductor chips used in F-35 fighter jets and commercial satellites.

AP. Compared to last year, air and road traffic in the US is expected to be busier during the Christmas and New Year holidays in 2024.

BLOOMBERG. The US-based Transition Industries LLC and the World Bank (WB) will build a $2.2 billion green methanol fuel production complex in the northwestern Mexican state of Sinaloa, aiming to realize the goal of reducing carbon emissions in North American countries.

BUENOS AIRES HERALD. New Argentine President Javier Milei has decided to cut the number of government ministries in half, from 18 to 9; Diana Mondino will be the head of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

REUTERS. Nearly 1,000 sea lions and seals have died from bird flu in southern Brazil, raising concerns about the risk of widespread disease spread.

Africa

AFP. West African leaders have announced that they will maintain sanctions against Niger following the coup in July this year.

Các nhà lãnh đạo của Cộng đồng Kinh tế Tây Phi (ECOWAS) đã họp thượng đỉnh trong bối cảnh khu vực này đang đối mặt với khủng hoảng sau các cuộc đảo chính ở Mali, Burkina Faso, Guinea và Niger kể từ năm 2020 và hai âm mưu đảo chính ở những nước khác trong thời gian gần đây. (Nguồn: AFP)

Leaders of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) are meeting as the region faces a crisis following coups in Mali, Burkina Faso, Guinea and Niger since 2020 and two recent coup attempts elsewhere. (Source: AFP)

EGYPT NEWS. Ambassadors from several UN Security Council member countries arrived in Egypt to visit the Rafah border crossing with the Gaza Strip to learn about the war and humanitarian situation in this Palestinian territory.

IANS. The Tunisian government evacuated 57 citizens and their families from the Gaza Strip, the Foreign Ministry will continue to closely monitor the situation of Tunisians in Palestine.

XINGHUA. The death toll from recent El-Nino-induced flooding in Somalia has risen to 118 as waters are receding in many inundated areas, reducing the risk.

Oceania

ABC. Australia has announced it will tighten visa rules for international students and low-skilled workers in a bid to cut immigration by 50% over the next two years.

NZ HERALD. New Zealand Foreign Minister Winston Peters says he will move the country closer to intelligence partners the US, UK, Canada and Australia, as part of a renewed focus on security under the new centre-right government.

WHO. About 20% of the population in the Western Pacific region, or 385 million people, are already burdened with high health care costs , according to the World Health Organization (WHO).

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