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


Israeli PM meets Bolsonaro in Brazil


IANS Automatic

Rome, Dec 29 (IANS/AKI) The Italian government backs a halt to the selling of arms to Saudi Arabia and intends to announce its position the issue "soon", populist premier Giuseppe Conte told reporters in Rome on Friday.


Italy favours halting arms exports to Saudi: PM


India on Friday announced that it will contribute Rs 4,500 crore to Bhutan's 12th Five-Year Plan, following delegation-level talks headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Bhutanese counterpart Lotay Tshering here. The two sides also reviewed the progress of various hydro-power projects in the Himalayan kingdom.


India commits Rs 4,500 crore to Bhutan's 12th Five-Year Plan (Roundup)


The Syrian Army entered the key city of Manbij on Friday for the first time in six years and raised the national flag on it following the withdrawal of Kurdish militia, according to the state TV.


Syrian Army 'takes control' of key city


Russia held talks with Jordan on Friday in a diplomatic effort to try and stabilize the situation in war-torn Syria after the US announced its troop withdrawal from the country.


Russia, Jordan discuss Syria after US pullout decision


Lawmakers in the UK Parliament demanded on Friday a more meaningful role in ratifying and even vetoing trade deals after the country leaves the EU, a committee said.


UK lawmakers demand meaningful role in post-Brexit trade negotiations


India on Friday announced that it will contribute Rs 4,500 crore to Bhutan's 12th Five-Year Plan following delegation-level talks headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Bhutanese counterpart Lotay Tshering here as the two sides also reviewed the progress of various hydro-power projects in the Himalayan kingdom.


India to contribute Rs 4,500 crore for Bhutan's 12th Five-Year Plan


The CBI on Friday said that it has registered a case against five persons including a woman from Punjab for trying to traffic minors to the United States for an "educational trip".


CBI registers case against 5 for attempted trafficking of minors to US


India and Bhutan on Friday reviewed the progress of hydroelectric projects in the Himalayan kingdom during a meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Bhutanese counterpart Lotay Tshering here.


India, Bhutan review development of hydroelectric projects


After much of India-China ties in 2017 were under the shadow of the Doklam incident, sources here said on Thursday that ties between the two major Asian powers have not only returned to normalcy but have also heightened in 2018.


India-China ties heightened during 2018


India on Thursday summoned a Pakistan High Commission official and lodged a strong protest over the incidents of infiltration of terrorists across the Line of (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir and targeting of Indian civilians and security forces.


India protests to Pakistan over cross-border terrorist infiltration


The spokesperson for the Islamic State militant group in the Afghanistan-Pakistan region has been killed in an airstrike by the US forces, the Afghan Defence Ministry said on Thursday.


US drone strike kills Islamic State spokesperson in Afghanistan


The Palestinian government said on Thursday that it will ban access of Israeli vegetables, fruits and poultry into its market in response to an Israeli ban on import of corresponding Palestinian products.


Palestine to ban Israeli agricultural products


Representatives from China and the US are planning to meet in January to negotiate an agreement on putting an end to the trade war between the two countries, the Chinese Commerce Ministry said on Thursday.


China says meeting with US on trade in January


German Defence Chief Eberhard Zorn on Thursday said that authorities are contemplating allowing the country's military to employ EU citizens in several posts, including doctors and information technology specialists, several years after Germany scrapped conscription.


German Army mulls recruiting EU citizens


China has successfully tested the sophisticated S-400 air defence system bought from Russia, a missile for which India struck a deal with Kremlin risking the US sanctions.


China successfully tests S-400 missile system


Russia's new hypersonic missile system, which Moscow claims is "invulnerable" to the US defences, will enter service in 2019, President Vladimir Putin said after conducting a test of the missile.


Russia's 'invulnerable' n-missile ready to deploy, says Putin


US President Donald Trump along with First Lady Melania Trump paid a surprise Christmas visit to American troops in Iraq, where he defended his move to withdraw forces from Syria and declared that the Islamic State is "very nearly defeated".


Trump defends Syria move on surprise visit to troops in Iraq


The US is offering Taliban militants a safety network that job opportunities to persuade the insurgents to join the Afghan peace process.


US offers safety, job security to Taliban


US President Donald Trump visited the US troops in Iraq to celebrate Christmas, the official Iraqiya television reported on Wednesday.


Trump visits US troops in Iraq for Christmas: Report


Russia needs to improve the competitiveness of its economy on a global scale in response to Western sanctions, Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Wednesday.

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