Russia to remove USD from arms contracts; Palestine demands US comply with international resolutions

Russia will remove USD from arms sales contracts

S-400 air defense missile system at Army 2017 exhibition. Photo:AFP.

Future contracts for the supply of S-400 missiles will be settled in Russian rubles, euros or the national currency of the partner country, Russian Foreign Trade Minister Denis Manturov said. According to Manturov, in some cases, the euro is a suitable alternative, while the US dollar will be used only in cases of force majeure. Future contracts for the supply of S-400 air defense missiles will be settled in this new way.

India, Türkiye and China are among the countries that have signed contracts to buy the S-400. The $5.4 billion deal for the delivery of the S-400 system was signed by Russia and India in early October during President Vladimir Putin's visit to India. India also plans to buy Russian T-14 Armata main battle tanks and guided missile destroyers. The two countries are developing programs to develop submarines and next-generation fighters.

President Erdogan invites Mr. Trump to visit Türkiye in 2019

White House spokesman Hogan Gidley said that Turkish President Erdogan has just officially invited US President Donald Trump to visit the country in 2019. This visit is considered a sign of thawing in relations between the two countries.

On December 23, the Turkish President and the US President agreed on a number of contents in a phone call on the two countries to continue to coordinate to prevent a power vacuum when the US military withdraws from Syria. Turkish President Erdogan also welcomed this unexpected decision by US President Trump, saying that the US withdrawal from Syria will contribute positively to efforts to improve bilateral relations in the coming time.

On December 25, several attackers carried out suicide bombings at the Libyan Foreign Ministry headquarters in the city of Tripoli.The unidentified attackers opened fire before blowing themselves up as they entered the government building. According to a Libyan Foreign Ministry official, at least three people were killed and six others were wounded in the attack. Meanwhile, the country's Health Ministry confirmed that at least one person was killed and nine others were wounded.

Libyan security sources said the three attackers were believed to be IS militants. One of the three suspects was killed by security forces, while the other two blew themselves up.

Palestine demands US comply with international resolutions

Palestinian President Abbas on December 24 asked Mr. Trump to comply with international resolutions related to the conflict between Palestine and Israel. In a speech on the occasion of Christmas celebrations in Bethlehem, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas said that Mr. Trump's decisions to recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel were "completely contrary to international legitimacy". He also condemned US President Donald Trump's decision to stop financial support for the United Nations Agency for Palestinian Refugees (UNRWA) and support for Israeli settlements.

President Abbas called on the United States to act fairly and implement any resolution passed by the United Nations, while stressing his commitment to peace efforts. Notably, President Abbas has rejected the United States as a mediator in the Palestinian-Israeli peace process after Trump decided to move the US embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem in May 2018. Meanwhile, the Trump administration is still pushing for the “deal of the century” to end the decades-long Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Türkiye arrests 30 people in connection with failed coup plot

Turkish police arrest suspected terrorists in Adana. Photo: AFP/TTXVN

Turkish prosecutors on December 25 ordered the arrest of at least 30 suspects, including 24 former military doctors, on charges that their activities were linked to an organization that planned the failed coup in July 2016. According to Turkey's state-run Anadolu news agency, anti-terrorism special forces were mobilized as part of arrest operations in five provinces across the country to hunt down suspects involved in the 2016 coup attempt.

Previously, on December 24, during a campaign to arrest criminals in Bursa province, northwestern Türkiye, police arrested at least 22 subjects, confiscated more than 27,000 USD and some digital materials.

Mexican female governor dies in helicopter crash

Accident scene. Photo: Reuters

Governor Martha Erika Alonso and her husband, Senator Rafael Moreno, were killed when the helicopter they were in crashed near the town of Santa María Coronango on the evening of December 24. President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador confirmed reports of the crash. "This is terrible news," said Senate leader Ricardo Monreal Avila. "We are saddened and heartbroken by this tragedy." There was no immediate word on the cause of the crash.

The tragedy occurred just 10 days after Ms. Alonso took office. She won election in July to become the first female governor in Puebla state’s history and was sworn in on December 14.

Japan will recruit 345,150 foreign workers in 5 years

Under the new policy, foreign workers will be admitted to “industries that have difficulty securing human resources despite efforts to improve productivity or hire domestic workers.” In addition, to avoid new workers being concentrated in large cities, the government will take necessary measures to address labor shortages in other areas.

Thai police station attacked with explosives and M16 rifles

A police truck is towed away from the site of the explosion in Bacho district, Narathiwat. Photo: bangkokpost.com

A bomb attack in the southern Thai province of Narathiwat killed one police officer and injured five others on December 25, local sources said. Local sources said a bomb exploded in an area opposite a police station in Narathiwat, followed by a group of armed men opening fire on a police vehicle.

The injured were taken to hospital. Police also found several M16 rifles and 20kg of explosives. Authorities are investigating the attack.