World News in Brief: December 25

Indonesian military and rescue teams fanned out across a stretch of coastline on December 24, hoping to find survivors of a tsunami triggered by a landslide from a volcano that killed at least 373 people and injured 1,459 others.

* Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan has invited US President Donald Trump to visit Turkey in 2019, a White House spokesman said on December 24.

* At least 14 Palestinian demonstrators were shot and wounded on December 24 during clashes with Israeli soldiers in northern Gaza Strip close to the border with Israel, medics said.

* China will unveil more supportive measures for the country's private businesses as well as small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), according to a State Council executive meeting on December 24.

* Russia's economy will see a difficult beginning next year and grow by 1.3 percent for the whole year as expected, Russian Economic Development Minister Maxim Oreshkin said on December 24.

* US President Donald Trump blasted the Federal Reserve on December 24, describing it as the "only problem" for the US economy, as top officials convened to discuss the growing rout in stock markets caused in part by the president's attacks on the central bank.

* Libya's Prime Minister Fayez Serraj on December 24 agreed with the Chairman of the state-owned National Oil Corporation (NOC) Mustafa Sanalla to enhance security in Al-Sharara oil field in southern Libya, which was recently reopened after a forceful shutdown by protesters.

* US President Donald Trump said on December 24 that progress is being made on the issues related with the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK).

* The modern weapons rate in the Russian army reached an unprecedented level of 61.5 percent of its total armament, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said on December 24. "In total, we have received over 1,500 models of weapon and over 80,000 pieces of equipment”, he said.

* Turkey is working with other countries to carry the investigation into the killing of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi to the United Nations, Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said on December 24.

* Israel's political arena was in uproar on December 24 afternoon after the government announced that early elections will be held on April 9, 2019.

* Tunisia and Turkey agreed on December 24 to set up a common roadmap to develop bilateral economic cooperation.

Reuters, Xinhua