Putin leaves open dialogue with Trump; CPTPP agreement officially takes effect
(Baonghean.vn) - Russian President Putin leaves open the door for dialogue with US President Trump; A series of US newspapers were attacked by cyberattacks; CPTPP officially takes effect with member countries; France takes tough measures on tax payments by business leaders; Somalia destroys dozens of al-Shabab rebels... are the world's top news in the past 24 hours.
CPTPP Agreement officially takes effect with member countries
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| The CPTPP took effect on December 30, and the first round of tariff cuts has just been launched. Photo: Monash Lens - Monash University |
The Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP), the US-free version of the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), with the participation of Japan and 10 other countries, came into effect on December 30.
The agreement creates a huge free economic area, with a market of 500 million people and accounting for 13% of global GDP. CPTPP unifies investment and services rules across a wide range of sectors. It also gradually eliminates tariffs on agricultural and industrial products.
Russia will equip its army with the state-of-the-art Vityaz S-350 missile defense system.
An S-300 air defense missile system launches a missile during a competition in 2017 at the Ashuluk shooting range outside Astrakhan, Russia. Photo: Reuters
The Russian Defense Ministry said on December 30 that in 2019, the Russian military will deploy the new generation Vityaz S-350 missile defense system, replacing the old S-300 system. The Vityaz system is a short- and medium-range surface-to-air missile defense system, manufactured by the Almaz-Antey Air and Space Defense Corporation.
According to the ministry, the Russian military deployed S-400 and Pantsir-S systems in Crimea in 2018, as well as in Russia's Arctic region, the Kaliningrad region in the Baltic Sea, and in the Far Eastern Khabarovsk region.
A series of newspapers in the US were attacked by cyberattacks. |
| Outside the Los Angeles Times office in Los Angeles. Photo: Reuters |
A cyberattack has disrupted the printing and distribution of major newspapers in the United States, including the Los Angeles Times. The cyberattack has delayed the printing and distribution of the Los Angeles Times and several other newspapers in Los Angeles, including The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, Chicago Tribune and Baltimore Sun. These newspapers share the same printing line.
The Los Angeles Times quoted a source as saying that the cyber attack originated from outside the US. Responding to the cyber attack, US Department of Homeland Security spokeswoman Katie Waldman said the authorities were coordinating to collect information.
Russian President Putin leaves open dialogue with US President Trump
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| Russian President Vladimir Putin and US President Donald Trump. Photo: AFP/Getty. |
Russian President Vladimir Putin on December 30 sent New Year's greetings to a series of world leaders. Notably, the New Year's greetings letter sent to his US counterpart - President Donald Trump, in which the Russian President said that Russia is ready to dialogue with the US on the basis of a series of agenda issues.
In a separate letter to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, the Russian leader pledged continued aid to the Syrian government and people in the fight against terrorism and the protection of territorial integrity. Putin also sent New Year greetings to world leaders, including British Prime Minister Theresa May, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and Chinese President Xi Jinping.
China steps up efforts to resolve 'key issue in trade war with US'
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| China's Supreme Court. Photo: scmp.com |
The Chinese government said that starting January 1, 2019, the country's supreme court will be in charge of handling intellectual property complaints, instead of local courts as before, in a move seen as China's move to increase the level of resolution of a key issue in the trade war with the United States.
According to AFP, the US and the European Union (EU) have long complained about China's lax enforcement of intellectual property rights. Under current regulations, provincial courts in China are responsible for handling intellectual property disputes.
The French government is tough on tax payments by business leaders.
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| French Budget Minister Gerald Darmanin. Photo: dw.com |
French Budget Minister Gerald Darmanin said on December 30 that the French government will take strong action against business leaders registered in France to ensure that they pay taxes in the country. Speaking to the press, Minister Darmanin made it clear that the heads of companies registered in France, or with shares owned by the French State, must pay taxes in France.
"We are in the process of ensuring that, and we are ready to take all necessary measures" if the regulation is not followed, Mr Darmanin stressed. Mr Darmanin did not specify whether the French government was specifically targeting any specific companies.
Somalia kills dozens of al-Shabab militants
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Somali security forces investigate at the scene of a bombing in Mogadishu, Somalia, November 26, 2018. Photo: AFP/TTXVN |
On December 30, Somali officials said that the country's army killed 30 al-Shabab rebels, including two foreign citizens, in the southern town of Jilib.
Speaking to the press, Ali Mohamad Bag Madow, Commander of the 43rd Squad of the Somali National Army (SNA), said that the SNA forces and the US Africa Command (Africom) coordinated an attack on an al-Shabab training camp in Jilib town, Central Jubba. Among the 30 militants killed, there were two foreign gunmen identified as Aways Abuhamza, a Syrian, and Hasn Al-qayadi Abu Yahya from Libya.
