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President Xi extends Spring Festival greetings to all servicemen
Chinese President Xi Jinping has inspected the Chinese People's Liberation Army Northern Theater Command ahead of the Spring Festival.
President Xi extended festive greetings to service personnel of the PLA and the People's Armed Police Force, civilian personnel in the military and members of militia and reserve forces.
The Spring Festival, or the Chinese New Year, falls on January 29 this year.
Beijing hosts Chinese New Year reception for diplomats
China has pledged to work with other countries to safeguard world peace and promote global economic recovery.
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi made the comments at a Chinese New Year event, where he hosted some 400 diplomats in Beijing.
Putin suggests meeting with Trump over Ukraine, energy
Russian President Vladimir Putin has expressed his readiness to discuss the Ukraine conflict and energy prices with U.S. President Donald Trump.
Putin also suggested a meeting with the U.S. leader.
His comments came after Trump said he wants to meet Putin and seek an end to the conflict.
Orban wants Ukraine to restore gas transit
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban says he wants the European Union to intervene in a gas dispute between his country and Ukraine.
Orban says Kyiv's decision to stop the transit of Russian gas into Central Europe through Ukraine's pipeline has forced Hungary to seek alternatives, raising energy prices.
Orban has signaled it will use its veto, when the bloc votes to renew sanctions on Russia.
Israel to receive four female soldiers to be released by Hamas
The Israeli military says it has completed preparations to receive four Israeli female hostages who will be released by Hamas in Gaza on Saturday.
The four army observers were abducted by Hamas from an Israeli military surveillance base near the Gaza Strip border on October 7, 2023.
This is the second swap of Israeli hostages and Palestinian prisoners as part of the Israel-Hamas ceasefire deal.
Houthi group unilaterally releases 153 war prisoners: ICRC
The International Committee of the Red Cross says Yemen's Houthi group has unilaterally released 153 war prisoners.
The prisoners were detained during the civil war between the armed group and the Yemeni government forces in recent years.
The ICRC says it has facilitated the initiative to encourage all sides to move ahead and release prisoners.
Beijing, Shanghai, Hong Kong among top 10 innovation cities globally: report
A new report says Beijing, Shanghai and Hong Kong rank among the world's top 10 innovation cities, alongside other cities from the United States, Britain and Japan.
The report features the collaborative development index of education, science and technology and talent.
It offers an in-depth evaluation of 30 cities around the world.
The top 10 innovation cities are Boston, San Francisco, Beijing, London, New York, Los Angeles, Seattle, Shanghai, Hong Kong and Tokyo.
Giant panda couple makes public debut in Washington
The newest giant pandas in the U.S. have met the public.
The three-year-old pandas arrived in the U.S. capital last October.
The Smithsonian National Zoo is hosting a celebration to mark the American debut of Bao Li and Qing Bao.