The US accused China of cyberattacking the Ministry of Finance , Russia criticized the US's additional aid package for Ukraine, Japan discovered Chinese ships near disputed islands, Turkey arrested 30 suspects related to IS... are some of the prominent international events in the past 24 hours.
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| Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha (left) meets with leaders of the Syrian interim government in Damascus, December 30. (Source: Kyiv Independent) |
The World & Vietnam Newspaper highlights some of the day's international news highlights.
Asia- Pacific
*South Korean court issues arrest warrant for President Yoon Suk Yeol: A Seoul court on December 31 approved a request by law enforcement to arrest impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol over the imposition of martial law, making him the first sitting South Korean president to face an arrest warrant.
Although Yoon Suk Yeol enjoys immunity from criminal prosecution as President, this privilege does not apply to charges of rebellion or treason.
Yoon was suspended from office after the opposition-controlled National Assembly voted to impeach him on December 14. The Constitutional Court has begun a review to decide whether to remove Yoon from office or reinstate him. The court has 180 days from December 14 to issue a ruling. (Yonhap)
*Japanese Prime Minister plans to visit the US: A Japanese government official said on December 31 that Prime Minister Ishiba Shigeru is planning to visit the US to meet Mr. Donald Trump after the inauguration ceremony on January 20, 2025.
US President-elect Trump expressed his willingness to meet with Mr. Ishiba at a press conference on December 16, and according to a source from the Japanese government, Mr. Trump informed Tokyo of this intention, possibly in mid-January before he returns to the White House.
However, officials said Mr. Ishiba thought it would be better if the two sides held the first formal bilateral summit when he visited the United States in February or later . (Kyodo)
*North Korea builds warship equipped with vertical launch system: South Korea's military said North Korea has begun building what is believed to be a 4,000-ton frigate equipped with a vertical launch system, as Pyongyang seeks to develop nuclear weapons and missiles.
The assessment came a day after North Korean state media released photos of leader Kim Jong-un inspecting a shipyard where the new vessel is being built, while reporting on the party's year-end plenary conference.
North Korea's largest vessel so far is a 1,500-ton frigate armed with anti-ship missiles. It does not have a vertical launch system. (Yonhap)
*Japan spots Chinese ships near disputed islands again: On December 31, Japan spotted Chinese coast guard ships near the Senkaku Islands in the East China Sea (called Diaoyu by China), marking the 355th day of such activity in 2024. This is also a record number of days for Chinese ships in the area since the Japanese government put the islets under state control in 2012.
Four Chinese Coast Guard vessels were spotted just outside Japan's territorial waters around the Senkaku Islands, which Beijing claims and calls Diaoyu, according to the Japan Coast Guard. It was the 43rd consecutive day of Chinese vessels in the area. All four vessels were equipped with what appeared to be automatic cannons. The Japan Coast Guard warned the vessels not to enter Japanese territorial waters. (Kyodo)
*South Korea: Car crashes into crowd, injuring many: South Korean police said at least eight people were injured when a car driven by a man in his 70s crashed into a group of people at a traditional market in Seoul on the afternoon of December 31.
The incident occurred at around 4:18 p.m. at Mokdong Kkaebi Market in southwestern Seoul. Police said no fatalities have been reported so far. Authorities are investigating the cause of the accident and assessing the extent of the damage. (Yonhap)
Europe
*Russia criticizes additional US aid package for Ukraine: The Russian Embassy in Washington said the latest US aid package for Kiev is a "bloody gift" to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, which is emptying the pockets of US taxpayers, and will not bring victory to Kiev.
"With the departure date approaching, the (US President Joe Biden) Administration is trying to empty the pockets of US taxpayers even more to support a clearly unprofitable Ukrainian project. Moreover, the Washington Administration announced its decision in a cynical manner - namely, waiting until New Year's Eve...", the Russian diplomatic mission said in a statement.
Earlier, the Biden administration announced an additional aid package worth nearly $5.9 billion for Ukraine, including military supplies and direct budget support. (Sputniknews)
*Ukraine calls on EU to ban imports of Russian liquefied natural gas: On December 30, Ukrainian media quoted Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha calling on the European Union (EU) to ban imports of Russian liquefied natural gas (LNG), replacing it with supplies from the US and other partners.
Sybiha's statement was reportedly in response to a recent Financial Times report that Russian LNG imports into the EU "have hit a record high" by 2024. According to the Financial Times, as of mid-December, the EU had imported a record 16.5 million tonnes of Russian LNG, surpassing last year's figure of 15.18 million tonnes.
Foreign Minister Sybiha called the imports "unacceptable." On December 27, Ukraine received its first shipment of US LNG, which arrived via a terminal in Greece. (Reuters)
*Lithuania denies interfering in Georgia's internal politics: Foreign Minister Kestutis Budrys said on December 30 that Lithuania's support for Georgia and sanctions against Georgian politicians are not intended to interfere in the internal politics of this South Caucasus country.
Speaking to the media, Foreign Minister Budrys affirmed: “This is not a matter of domestic politics or support for any particular political group. This is Georgia’s promise, made a year ago but not yet fulfilled, to hold free and fair elections, a condition for Georgia to further develop its relations with the European Union (EU) and to exercise its EU candidate status.”
Earlier on December 29, former football player and far-right member of the ruling Georgian Dream party Mikheil Kavelashvili was sworn in as the country's new President. (Sputniknews)
*Russia, Ukraine swap over 300 prisoners ahead of New Year: Russian and Ukrainian officials said on December 30 that the two countries had swapped more than 300 prisoners in a deal brokered by the United Arab Emirates (UAE) ahead of the New Year.
The two sides have exchanged hundreds of prisoners since Russia began its special military operation in Ukraine in February 2022. "On December 30, as a result of the negotiations, 150 Russian servicemen were returned from the territory controlled by the Kiev authorities. In return, 150 prisoners of war of the Ukrainian army were returned," the Russian Defense Ministry said.
For his part, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Kiev had taken back 189 people as part of the deal. "We are working to free all those who are being held by Russia. This is our goal. We will not forget anyone," Zelensky said. On the same day, Ukraine announced that Moscow had released a total of 3,956 people - including soldiers and civilians - in agreements with Kiev since the conflict began. (AFP)
Middle East-Africa
*Ukrainian delegation arrives in Damascus: According to Kyiv Independent, on December 30, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha met with Ahmad Al-Sharaa, leader of the HTS opposition force, and other members of the Syrian interim government.
"The Ukrainian delegation informed the Damascus authorities about Kiev's position on the issue of Russia's military presence in Syria. Syrian partners also expressed similar views on this issue," the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry said.
Ukraine did not disclose specifics about the Russian military presence, but announced that the two sides discussed building a "strategic partnership" in all political, economic, social and scientific areas. (Kyiv Independent)
*Houthi missile attack on Israel: On December 31, Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen said they had launched two missiles at Israel, hours after the Israeli military announced it had intercepted a projectile launched from the country.
"The first attack targeted Ben Gurion airport" in Tel Aviv, and the second targeted a power plant south of Jerusalem, a Houthi military statement said. (AFP)
*Syria inducts foreign fighters into its military: According to Reuters on December 30, Syria's new leaders have inducted a number of foreign fighters including Uighurs, a Jordanian and a Turk into the country's armed forces. Of the nearly 50 positions announced by the Defense Ministry on December 30, at least six have been given to foreigners, sources said.
However, researchers say the move to give official roles to jihadists could make some foreign governments and Syrian citizens concerned about the new government's intentions.
Thousands of foreign Sunni Muslims have joined the ranks of opposition forces in Syria during the 13-year civil war against the rule of former President Bashar al-Assad. (Al Jazeera)
*Turkey arrests 30 suspects linked to IS: According to state news agency Anadolu, Turkish police on December 30 arrested 30 suspects linked to the self-proclaimed Islamic State (IS) organization in Istanbul, preventing terrorist attacks that the group was planning.
The operation was carried out after the Istanbul Chief Prosecutor's Office issued arrest warrants for 46 IS-linked suspects believed to be capable of carrying out terrorist attacks in Türkiye, the news agency said. Several digital documents were seized during the operation and efforts to arrest the remaining suspects are continuing.
Turkey has listed IS as a terrorist organization since 2013 and has been targeted by the group in numerous attacks. Ankara has launched counter-terrorism operations both at home and abroad in response. (THX)
*Houthi prepares for long-term confrontation with Israel and the US: The National News of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) on December 30 quoted sources saying that the Houthi forces in Yemen are preparing for a long-term confrontation with Israel and the US, even if a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip is approved by the parties involved.
A Yemeni political source said the scope of the conflict between Israel and the Houthis would expand in the coming weeks, especially with US President-elect Donald Trump taking office on January 20, 2025. So far, Israel has bombed Sanaa airport, ports along the west coast and other civilian facilities, while the US and UK have targeted Houthi missile and drone launchers as well as weapons depots. (Al Jazeera)
America - Latin America
*US repatriates prisoner from Guantanamo Bay to Tunisia: The US Department of Defense announced on December 30 that prisoner Ridah Bin Saleh Al-Yazidi had been repatriated from Guantanamo Bay Prison to Tunisia.
The US Department of Defense said there are currently 26 prisoners at this detention facility, of which 14 are eligible for transfer. (Reuters)
*US accuses China of cyberattacking the Treasury Department: On December 30 (local time), the New York Times (NYT) reported that the US Treasury Department said hackers linked to China had penetrated their electronic systems.
The Treasury Department said it was working with the FBI to investigate the incident. This is not the first time Washington has made allegations of attacks on US infrastructure by hackers linked to China.
Washington previously said Chinese hackers were allegedly involved in intercepting phone calls of US politicians, including one of Donald Trump's advisers. The incident was reportedly carried out by a group called Salt Typhoon, which is believed to have ties to the Chinese government. (NYT/TASS)
*Argentina issues arrest warrant for Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega: On December 30, the Argentine Judiciary issued an arrest warrant for Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega and his wife, Vice President Rosario Murillo, for "crimes against humanity".
Argentine federal judge Ariel Lijo has asked Interpol to issue an international arrest warrant for Mr Ortega and Ms Murillo for human rights violations, along with several other high-ranking officials in the Nicaraguan government. The warrants were sent to Interpol after Argentine prosecutor Eduardo Taiano opened an investigation in October last year into the President and Vice President of Nicaragua for crimes against humanity, including illegal detention, extrajudicial executions, disappearances and torture. (AFP)
*US Secretary of State speaks by phone with Venezuela's "president-elect": On December 31, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken spoke by phone with Edmundo Gonzalez Urrutia, who Washington said defeated Nicolas Maduro in the presidential election in Venezuela last July.
The call took place less than two weeks before Venezuela’s new presidential term begins on January 10. Only a handful of countries, including Russia, have recognized incumbent President Nicolas Maduro’s victory in the July election.
Responding to this move, Venezuelan Foreign Minister Yvan Gil criticized this as a statement from a "failed and outgoing government", and accused Washington of "desperately supporting the worst opposition in the past 25 years". (AFP)
*US provides Ukraine with $15 billion via WB: On December 30, Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal announced that Kiev and the World Bank (WB) have signed an agreement under which the US will provide Ukraine with $15 billion via WB and this amount will be guaranteed by revenues from frozen Russian assets. This is part of Washington's $20 billion contribution to the G7 lending initiative for Ukraine.
Meanwhile, the Ukrainian Ministry of Finance said that direct US budgetary assistance to Ukraine for 2022-2024 has exceeded $30 billion.
Last week, Prime Minister Shmyhal announced that Kiev had received $1 billion in frozen Russian assets. Several Western countries froze the assets of the Russian Central Bank on their territory after the conflict broke out in 2022. These assets have a total value of about $300 billion. (AFP)
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