The world last week in photos

(Baonghean.vn) - Let's review the outstanding world events of the past 7 days with Baonghean.vn online newspaper.

1. The US deploys P-8 Poseidon reconnaissance aircraft in Singapore.

According to a joint statement on December 7, the United States has agreed with Singapore to deploy its first P-8 Poseidon reconnaissance aircraft to the Southeast Asian island nation in December to assume a maritime security role. This move comes amid escalating tensions in the South China Sea over China's territorial claims in the region.

P-8 Poseidon reconnaissance aircraft. (Source: Reuters).

2. German Chancellor Angela Merkel was voted "Person of the Year 2015".

On December 9th, Time magazine named German Chancellor Angela Merkel "Person of the Year 2015" for her strong policies in dealing with the European debt crisis and the refugee crisis.

Angela Merkel, the Iron Lady, is the Person of the Year 2015. (Source: youtube.com).

3. Germany deploys troops for the first time to participate in the fight against IS.

On December 10th, the first plane carrying German soldiers took off for Türkiye. This is part of Berlin's deployment plan to participate in the fight against the self-proclaimed Islamic State (IS) group in Syria. The move comes after a series of terrorist attacks in the French capital, Paris, on November 13th.

A German Tornado reconnaissance aircraft flies over Jagel military base in northern Germany on December 4. Photo: AFP.

4. Conference of Syrian opposition groups demands President Assad resign.

According to the final statement of the Syrian opposition group conference held on December 10 in Riyadh (Saudi Arabia), the conference called for Syria to become a democratic, multi-representative state, and emphasized that President Bashar al-Assad needs to step down at the start of the transition process.

The conference agreed to establish a joint delegation to negotiate with the Syrian government, tentatively scheduled for early 2016, based on the Geneva Joint Declaration reached on June 30, 2012. However, President al-Assad declared that he would not negotiate with armed opposition groups, which appeared to be aiming to sabotage the peace talks that Russia and the US hoped would take place next month.

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. (Source: ndtv.com).

5. Tensions between Iraq and Türkiye are escalating.

On December 12, thousands of protesters, mostly members of Shiite paramilitary forces, gathered in the center of Baghdad, Iraq, to ​​demand that Turkey withdraw its troops from the country. Baghdad has repeatedly demanded that Turkey withdraw its troops and has even lodged a complaint with the United Nations. Meanwhile, Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan has stated that he will not yield to Iraq's demands.

A Turkish soldier in Iraq. (Source: AFP).

6. The two Koreas concluded their talks without achieving a breakthrough.

South Korea and North Korea concluded high-level talks on December 12 aimed at easing border tensions, but failed to achieve any breakthrough in improving inter-Korean relations. The vice-ministerial talks took place over two days, December 11 and 12, at the Kaesong joint industrial complex in the city of the same name, located in North Korean territory.

Holding high-level talks between the two sides was one of the highlights of the agreement reached by the two Koreas on August 25, 2015, concerning efforts to de-escalate military tensions on the Korean Peninsula.

South Korean Vice Minister of Unification Hwang Boo-gi (left) and North Korean leader of the Committee for Peaceful Reunification Jon Jong-Su (right) before their meeting. (Source: AFP/VNA).

7. The COP21 conference adopted a global agreement to combat climate change.

On December 12, delegates from 195 countries participating in the 21st Conference of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP21) in Paris, France, adopted a historic agreement to prevent global warming, which threatens humanity by causing rising sea levels and exacerbating droughts, floods, and storms.

The global agreement to combat climate change was adopted at the COP21 conference. (Source: AFP/VNA)

Phuong Thao

(Synthetic)