January 18, 2023

*) Ukraine welcomes Dutch Patriot help as fighting rages in east The training of Ukrainian officers to operate the Patriot advanced long-range air defence system will last 10 weeks, Ukraine's Defence Minister Oleksii Reznikov said. The United States, Germany and the Netherlands have pledged to send Patriot missile systems to Ukraine to repel a barrage of Russian missile and drone attacks. Reznikov said that the training is an obligation undertaken by the US. *) Pentagon extols alliance with Türkiye ahead of possible F-16 deal Ahead of a possible F-16 deal, the Pentagon said that Türkiye has an important partnership with the US on the global stage and Washington views Ankara as "an important ally". Pentagon spokesperson Brigadier General Pat Ryder said "the United States and Türkiye share an alliance and they're an important partner, not only in the region but around the world." *) England nurses launch fresh strikes over pay Nurses in England have begun two days of strikes over pay, as officials warned of disruption for thousands of patients in the UK's state-run health service. Strikes beginning from Wednesday come after nurses held an unprecedented strike last month, joining a wave of industrial action by public sector workers. The main nursing union accuses the government of failing to negotiate seriously on improving their pay deal for the current year. *) DRC's Tshisekedi accuses M23 rebels of faking agreed pullback The M23 rebel group has not fully withdrawn from areas it seized in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, President Felix Tshisekedi said, accusing the militia of faking an agreed pullback of its forces. He said that despite international pressure, they pretended to move but they have not, adding that they are redeploying elsewhere, and staying in the towns that they have captured. *) Türkiye's Sengun breaks Shaq's NBA centre record Türkiye's Alperen Sengun has made NBA history by becoming the youngest centre to record at least 30 points, 15 rebounds and five assists in a