United States announces reduction of troops in Iraq to end ‘endless wars’

The United States military formally announced on Wednesday that it would be reducing its military presence in Iraq from 5,200 to 3,000 troops starting September 2020. Read more

In major strategic move, Somaliland opens its embassy in Taiwan

The breakaway territory of Somaliland opened a representative office in Taipei on Wednesday in a move that has already drawn Beijing’s ire. Read more

Russia calls Germany’s handling of requests on Navalny ‘inappropriate’

Russia’s foreign minister criticized Germany on Wednesday over its handling of official requests by Moscow about the condition of Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny. Read more

US President Donald Trump nominated for Nobel Peace Prize 2021

US President Donald Trump has been nominated for the 2021 Nobel Prize for his efforts in normalising ties between Israel and the United Arab Emirates, and for facilitating the historic deal. Read more

Rochester, New York, police chief resigns in wake of Daniel Prude’s death

Top police leaders in New York’s third-largest city are retiring en masse amid criticism of the city’s handling of the suffocation death of Daniel Prude, the mayor of Rochester has said. Read more

American global aerospace company names spacecraft in honour of Kalpana Chawla

American global aerospace and defense technology company Northrop Grumman has named the next Cygnus spacecraft after Dr Kalpana Chawla, the first woman of Indian descent to go to space. Read more

Another Belarus opposition politician, Maxim Znak, is seized by masked men

Belarus opposition politician Maxim Znak was detained on Wednesday by masked men wearing plain clothes, supporters said, as authorities extended a systematic campaign to round up the leaders of a month-long mass protest movement. Read more

France initiates 150 probes into nationwide horse mutilations and killings

Investigators in France officially opened more than 150 probes into the killings and mutilations of horses all over the country. Read more

Report claims Australian intelligence raided Chinese journalists’ homes

China’s state news agency have reported on Tuesday that Australian intelligence agency staff searched the homes of Chinese journalists in June, questioning them for several hours and removing their digital devices including mobile phones. Read more

North Korea’s de facto 2nd-in-command Kim Yo-jong disappears off public radar

Kim Yo Jong, younger sister of North Korea’s supreme leader Kim Jong Un, has appeared to have vanished from public view after last being pictured on July 27. Read more