China protests against the US, Sri Lankan President visits India, Australia issues urgent warning

The World and Vietnam Newspaper highlights some notable world news this morning, December 17.

Asia

YONHAP. ​​A South Korean military court has issued an arrest warrant for the head of the military's Special Operations Command, Lieutenant General Kwak Jong-keun, in connection with the imposition of martial law.

Mr. Kwak is the second military official to be arrested in connection with the case after Lieutenant General Yeo In-hyung, head of the Defense Counterintelligence Command, was arrested on December 14. (Source: Yonhap)

KYODO. Japanese Defense Minister Gen Nakatani is planning a visit to Britain in January to discuss progress on the development of a new fighter jet with his counterpart John Healey.

THX. China's Ministry of Commerce reaffirmed its stance against the US's increase in tariffs on some of its imported goods.

TOLONEWS. Since the beginning of 2024, 137 people have been killed and more than 330 injured in explosions caused by landmines left over from conflicts in Afghanistan.

THE STAR. Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim has invited former Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra as an informal adviser to assist Kuala Lumpur in assuming the ASEAN chairmanship in 2025.

STRAITS TIMES. The Philippine Senate ratified the Reciprocal Access Agreement (RAA) with Japan, allowing mutual visits by the two militaries.

HINDUSTAN TIMES. Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake visits India as part of his maiden foreign trip as head of state.

AL JAZEERA. Former Syrian President Bashar al-Assad has spoken out for the first time since fleeing Syria, denying he planned to flee as opposition forces advanced on Damascus earlier this month.

"First of all, my departure from Syria was not pre-planned and did not take place in the last hours of the battles as some have claimed. On the contrary, I remained in Damascus, carrying out my duties until the early hours of Sunday, December 8, 2024." (Bashar al-Assad)

Europe

DEFENSE POST. The Greek parliament approved the 2025 budget, which nearly doubled defense spending , from 3.6 billion euros to 6.1 billion euros ($6.5 billion).

The Greek parliament approved the 2025 budget with 159 votes in favor and 139 against. (Source: Newsroom)

DW. The German parliament has approved Chancellor Olaf Scholz's request to withdraw confidence in him and his government, paving the way for early general elections on February 23.

EURONEWS. The European Council has decided to impose sanctions on four individuals involved in the ongoing conflict in Sudan.

BARRON'S. EU launches project to build "Satellite Constellation" infrastructure dedicated to high-speed Internet access.

AP. Latvian police and border guards have seized nearly 300 million counterfeit cigarettes and arrested more than 30 people suspected of being part of an illegal cross-border distribution network.

SKY NEWS. The British government has approved Czech billionaire Daniel Kretinsky's EP Group to buy postal company Royal Mail in a deal worth £3.57 billion ($4.5 billion).

REUTERS. According to a survey by US-based S&P Global, business activity in the Eurozone continued to decline in December.

America

REUTERS. Brazilian President Lula da Silva appeared healthy at a press conference at a hospital in the city of Sao Paulo, where he underwent surgery for a brain hemorrhage after being admitted to the emergency room on December 10.

Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva speaks to reporters after being discharged from Sirio-Libanes Hospital in Sao Paulo. (Source: Yahoo)

AFP. Brazilian President Lula da Silva has called for harsh punishment for those accused of planning a coup in 2022.

CBC. Canada's Public Safety Minister Dominic LeBlanc has been appointed as the new Finance Minister, shortly after Chrystia Freeland abruptly resigned earlier in the day.

FOX NEWS. US President-elect Donald Trump appointed businessman Bill White as US Ambassador to the Kingdom of Belgium.

CNN. The US has completed a $9.63 billion loan to a joint venture between Ford Motor and South Korean battery maker SK On to finance the construction of three new battery plants in Tennessee and Kentucky.

Africa

AFP. The United Nations will convene a technical committee of Libyan experts to resolve contentious issues and move the country toward long-awaited national elections .

Libya has been engulfed in violence and conflict since 2011. (Source: Reuters)

EGYPT TODAY. Egypt reaffirms its support and respect for the sovereignty, unity and territorial integrity of Somalia.

REUTERS. Heads of state and government representatives of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) member states attend the organization's 66th summit in Abuja, Nigeria.

AP. Algeria operates a national Intranet , also known as a “Wide Area Network (WAN)”, which connects all administrative bodies within the country.

BARRON'S. Cyclone Chido has hit northern Mozambique, bringing strong winds and heavy rains, damaging buildings and causing power outages in some areas.

Oceania

ABC. Australia has issued an emergency warning as bushfires rage out of control west of Melbourne in the state of Victoria.

REUTERS. ABC News has agreed to pay Donald Trump $15 million to settle a lawsuit over inaccurate statements made by anchor George Stephanopoulos.

Source: https://baoquocte.vn/diem-tin-the-gioi-sang-1712-trung-quoc-pha-n-doi-my-tong-thong-sri-lanka-tham-an-do-australia-canh-bao-khan-cap-297671.html