English

By. Rizal Ramli
(Source: businesstimes.com.sg)

KONFRONTASI - Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov says Russia has been exploring for some time using national currencies to settle bilateral trade deals with Turkey and other countries.

Lavrov, who was speaking at a news conference with his Turkish counterpart in Ankara, said on Tuesday that the US dollar’s role as a global trade currency was in decline.  “I’m confident that the grave abuse of the role of the US dollar as a global reserve currency will result over time in the weakening and demise of its role.”

KONFRONTASI-Investors are fretting about emerging markets again.

Turkey is the front-burner concern at the moment, but what really is getting people’s attention is the prospect that the financial problems there could spread to other fast-growing but risky countries.

If history is any indication, that has the potential to quickly turn a local crisis into a global one. Or maybe not.

What’s happening in Turkey?

KONFRONTASI-A fire at a hospital in Taiwan's most populous city killed nine people and injured 15 others early on Monday.

The blaze broke out on the seventh floor of the building, which was used for hospice care, according to the New Taipei City Fire Department.

Media footage showed patients being wheeled out of the building in their hospital beds, while medical workers took others out on stretchers and into ambulances.

KONFRONTASI-Tunisia’s president on Monday proposed giving women equal inheritance rights despite protests from thousands of people objecting to any challenge to Islamic law.

The North African Muslim country, which toppled autocrat Zine El Abidine Ben Ali in 2011, grants women more rights than other countries in the region, and since last year has allowed Muslim women to marry non-Muslim men.

But in a show how divided society remains, thousands demonstrated on Saturday in front of parliament against any changes to inheritance rules.

KONFRONTASI - The United States is still undecided whether to use the term “genocide” in reference to the systematic campaign of violence against Myanmar's Rohingya Muslims, a leaked document shows.

KONFRONTASI-In the lively neighbourhood of Medina in Dakar, horse-drawn carts jingle around crowded buses and makeshift stalls sell everything from clothes to mobile phones.

In a narrow alley, behind a bustling street, noisy beats pulsate from a colourful building, a community centre.

Inside, Jah Moko invites young people to write some lyrics on pieces of paper. The Malian born musician is trying to encourage them to become the voice of their communities through music. 

KONFRONTASI - US President Donald Trump has announced to double steel and aluminum tariffs on Turkey, saying relations between Washington and Ankara “not good” as tensions mount between the two countries.

"I have just authorized a doubling of Tariffs on Steel and Aluminum with respect to Turkey as their currency, the Turkish Lira, slides rapidly downward against our very strong Dollar!" Trump said on Twitter.

“Aluminum will now be 20 percent and Steel 50 percent. Our relations with Turkey are not good at this time!" he added.