Tuesday, Dec 30th
Last update11:22:13 AM GMT
International Glance
Russia is suffering “mounting casualties” on the battlefield in Ukraine and is trying to recruit foreigners to replace its depleted troop numbers, Britain’s Ministry of Defence has said.
The Kremlin has tried to sign up salaried recruits from Armenia, Kazakhstan and Uzbek migrant builders, the MoD said in a statement.
It added: “Russia likely wishes to avoid further unpopular domestic mobilisation measures in the run-up to the 2024 presidential elections.
At least one person has died and nearly two dozen people have been rescued as crews on Thursday battled a massive fire on board a freighter carrying nearly 3,000 cars in the North Sea.
The blaze broke out Wednesday and so far 23 people have been rescued from the ship, some who suffered serious injuries, the Dutch coast guard said.
The vessel was sailing from the German port of Bremerhaven to Singapore, about 17 miles north of the Dutch island of Ameland, officials reported.
On Thursday about 4:15 a.m. local time the fire continued to rage, the coast guard said, as crews worked save the vessel from sinking close to an important habitat for migratory birds.
South Korea, which is the world’s ninth-largest arms exporter, has a longstanding policy to not supply lethal weapons to active conflict zones.
But at a press briefing after the two leaders had met he said Seoul would “expand the scale of supplies from last year, when we provided materials such as helmets and bullet-proof vests”.
Yoon added that humanitarian aid would be increased to $150m in 2023, from $100m last year.
NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said Turkey's leader has agreed to secure swift Turkish parliament approval of Sweden's bid to join the defense alliance, in a breakthrough after Turkey has blocked the Nordic country's entry for over a year.
Following talks the NATO chief held Monday with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson, Stoltenberg said in a news conference, "I'm glad to announce that, as a result, President Erdogan has agreed to forward the accession protocol for Sweden to the Grand National Assembly as soon as possible and work closely with the assembly to ensure ratification."
President Biden issued a statement following Stoltenberg's talks with the two leaders, saying he's "ready to work" with Turkey on enhanced defense and looks forward to "welcoming Prime Minister Kristersson and Sweden as our 32nd NATO Ally."
A Korean-made robot made its debut as an orchestra conductor before a sell-out crowd in Seoul, Friday, wowing the audience with a flawless performance in place of a human maestro.
Named "EveR 6", the five-foot-ten-inch-tall (1.8m) robot guided more than 60 musicians of the National Orchestra of Korea who were playing traditional Korean instruments.
The robot successfully guided the compositions, both independently and in collaboration with a human maestro who was standing next to it for about half an hour, entertaining the more than 950 audience members who had packed the National Theater of Korea.
The robot was showered with applause when it first appeared from below the stage on a lift and turned to face the audience, bowing in greeting.
On Sunday, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan was declared the winner of Turkey’s presidential runoff elections. According to numbers reported by the state-owned Anadolu news agency, more than 27 million voters cast their ballots in favour of Erdoğan, who has been at the country’s helm for more than two decades.
He entered the second round in the lead in the polls, and was expected by most to emerge victorious. Although Erdoğan captured slightly more than half of the vote, more than 25 million people also mobilised to vote against him.
South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol treated President Joe Biden and fellow dinner guests to a rendition of Don McLean's "American Pie" at the White House Wednesday night.
It was the nightcap to a packed day for the two heads of state, who earlier announced their Washington Declaration on nuclear deterrence and signaled strengthening economic ties.
But at home, Yoon faces criticism for pushing anti-feminist legislation and growing the relationship between South Korea and Japan.
Who is he? Yoon Suk Yeol, 62, is the President of South Korea. He began his five-year term last May.
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