US President Donald Trump said that the US troops would be withdrawing from Syria "over a period of time," dismissing the previously reported four-month exit plan.


US troops to exit Syria 'over a period of time': Trump


IANS Automatic

China has started building for Pakistan, its "all-weather ally", one of its "most advanced" naval warships as part of a defence agreement to maintain a "balance of power" in the Indian Ocean, the media reported on Wednesday.


China building 'most advanced' naval warship for Pakistan: Report


President Xi Jinping on Wednesday said China must be and will be reunified with Taiwan, and called for the two rivals to work together to realise the "historic task" of complete reunification.


China 'must be, will be' reunified with Taiwan: Xi Jinping


Indian and Chinese armies held a ceremonial new year meeting on Tuesday in Jammu and Kashmir's Ladakh region.


Indian, Chinese troops hold ceremonial meeting in Ladakh


Rome, Jan 1 (IANS/AKI) Humanitarian food supplies in Yemen - where up to 20 million people are facing famine - are being stolen and sold for profit in the capital Sanaa and other areas of the country under Houthi rebel control, the UN said, urging an end to the "criminal" practice.


Food aid being stolen in Houthi-controlled areas: UN


North Korean leader Kim Jong-un renewed his commitment to denuclearisation on Tuesday and said he was ready to meet US President Donald Trump for a second time.


Ready to meet Trump again, says Kim Jong-un


Former top US commander in Afghanistan Retired General Stanley McChrystal has said that the withdrawal of half of 14,000 American troops stationed in the war-torn country would jeopardize the peace efforts as  it would reduce the incentive for the Taliban to negotiate a deal to end the 17-year war.


US troop withdrawal will jeopardize peace efforts: Former Afghanistan commander


Russias Federal Security Service (FSB) said on Monday that it has detained a US citizen on suspicion of espionage.


Russia arrests US citizen on suspicion of espionage


A senior Republican senator has said President Donald Trump has agreed to reevaluate, for now, his plans to immediately withdraw all US troops from Syria as he had promised to finish the job of destroying the Islamic State in the war-torn country.


Trump to slow down US withdrawal from Syria, says top Republican


German Chancellor Angela Merkel has asked Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan to act with restraint and responsibility as the US decided to withdraw troops from Syria.


Germany urges Turkey to act with restraint Syria


"The United States is only fuelling insecurity in the Gulf through its presence in the strategic region," said Chairman of the Chief of Staff of the Iranian Armed Forces Mohammad Baqeri.


US causing insecurity in Gulf: Iran


Political developments in the Maldives and Sri Lanka, the Rohingya refugee crisis arising out of Myanmar, mending ties with Nepal's new leadership and the situation in Afghanistan - neighbourhood diplomacy took up much of India's time in the year just ending.


Political developments in Maldives, Sri Lanka and Rohingya crisis kept India busy (2018 in Retrospect)


The rumbling controversies and divisive trends of 2018 erupted in a perfect storm of chaos at the year's end with parts of the US government paralysed by a showdown between President Donald Trump and the Democrats, while senior officials quit, foreign and strategic policies fell into disarray, and the stock markets tumbled.


US ends year in state of political, strategic, financial chaos (2018 in Retrospect)


US President Donald Trump on Saturday said that great progress has been made in trade negotiations between the US and China, though he gave no specific details.


Trump touts advances in trade talks with China


Sharjah, Dec 29 (IANS/WAM) The United Arab Emirates' culture will take centre-stage at the upcoming New Delhi World Book Fair (NDWBF) 2019.


Emirati culture to take centre-stage at New Delhi book fair


Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev on Saturday announced a ban on Ukrainian products in retaliation to similar measures Ukraine had adopted in an escalation of tension between the two countries.


Russia imposes retaliatory embargo on Ukrainian products


Yemeni Houthi rebels began to pull out their forces from the strategic port city of Al Hodeida under the recent ceasefire agreement reached between the warring parties, the rebels' spokesman said on Saturday.


Yemen's Houthi rebels begin to withdraw from Hodeida


India on Saturday condemned Friday's terror attack in Egypt targeting a tourist bus that claimed four lives and injured 10 people.


India condemns terror attack in Egypt


Egyptian security forces killed 40 suspected extremists during operations in several parts of the country in response to an attack on a tourist bus a day before that claimed four lives, officials said on Saturday.


Egyptian forces kill 40 'extremists' after terror attack


A Canadian citizen who was detained in China earlier this month amid frosty relations between the two countries has been released and returned to Canada, officials said.


China releases detained Canadian teacher


Brazilian President-elect Jair Bolsonaro and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu here on Friday agreed to establish a strategic partnership between the two countries.

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