December 24, 2021

*) Russia sees 'positive' US reply over security proposals, Ukraine tension Russia has said US's willingness to discuss Moscow's security proposals to curb NATO's eastward expansion was "positive" as fears mount over military escalation in Ukraine. President Vladimir Putin said "the start of negotiations announced (for) January will allow us to move forward". Tensions peaked this week when Putin vowed that Russia would take "appropriate retaliatory" military steps in response to the West's "aggressive stance". *) Turkiye, Qatar sign deal to jointly operate Kabul airport Turkiye and Qatar have agreed to jointly operate Afghanistan's Kabul airport following talks between committees from both countries. A joint committee will visit the Afghan capital Kabul to discuss the deal with the interim government of the country, diplomatic sources said. Afghans and foreign nationals fled the country through the facility when the Taliban took power in August following two decades of war. *) Tunisian president warns of 'assassination plans' against some officials Tunisian President Kais Saied has warned the public that plots are being prepared against some officials in the country, including assassinations. “There is even a recording of a phone call that specifies the day of the assassinations," Saied said in a video message. His remarks came as a group, including some members of parliament, declared that they will go on hunger strike in protest against Saied's July 25 power grab. ​​​*) Iran nuclear talks to restart in Vienna next week The European Union has said talks to revive the 2015 Iran nuclear deal will resume next Monday. The EU's foreign service said the meeting would be attended by representatives of China, France, Germany, Russia, Britain and Iran. Officials have said the deal would become obsolete within weeks if Iran continued to step up its nuclear activities as it has been doing since 2019. And finally … *) Coldplay to stop recording new music in 2025 Hugely successful British band Coldpla