Xi says China, U.S. should keep up momentum in ties, move forward in right direction
Chinese President Xi Jinping said on Monday that China and the United States should keep up the momentum in ties, and keep moving forward in the right direction on the basis of equality, respect and mutual benefit.
Xi made the remarks while speaking with U.S. President Donald Trump on the phone.
Xi noted that he and Trump had a successful meeting in Busan last month, and reached many important common understandings.
They recalibrated the course of the giant ship of China-U.S. relations and provided more momentum for it to sail forward steadily, thus sending a positive message to the world, he said.
China to launch Shenzhou-22 spaceship on Nov. 25
China plans to launch the Shenzhou-22 spaceship on Nov. 25 from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in northwest China, the China Manned Space Agency (CMSA) said on Monday.
The Long March-2F Y22 carrier rocket, which will be used for the launch, has been filled with propellant. The Shenzhou-21 astronaut crew is working normally and in good condition in orbit, the CMSA added.
South Africa to hand over G20 presidency to U.S. in low-key manner
South Africa will hand over the G20 presidency to the United States in a low-key manner, likely on Tuesday, Zane Dangor, South Africa's G20 sherpa and director-general of the Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO), said Monday.
"The agreement is that we should do it low-key. It's not just a South African issue; the U.S. doesn't want a very big handover event," said Dangor, adding that the handover would be conducted at the level of a senior DIRCO official to the U.S. charge d'affaires.
South African President Cyril Ramaphosa on Sunday formally closed the summit in Johannesburg by striking a wooden gavel, following G20 tradition.
U.S., Ukraine draft "updated and refined" peace framework in Geneva talks
The White House said on Sunday that the United States and Ukraine drafted an "updated and refined" peace framework during talks in Geneva, Switzerland.
Both sides agreed to continue to work on joint proposals in the coming days, according to a joint statement released by the White House. And final decisions under this framework will be made by the presidents of Ukraine and the United States.
The statement also noted that Ukraine expressed its gratitude to the United States and to U.S. President Donald Trump.
Sudan's RSF declares unilateral truce following army's rejection of int'l truce plan
Sudan's paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) on Monday declared a unilateral three-month humanitarian truce, a day after the Sudanese Armed Forces rejected an internationally backed ceasefire plan.
RSF commander Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo announced the pause in a televised address, saying his fighters would halt operations to allow aid deliveries and protect civilians. He said the group agreed to the truce to offer "hope" to a population "exhausted by this war."
Dagalo pledged to set up a field mechanism monitored by the Quad -- Egypt, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), and the United States -- along with the African Union and other international bodies, to ensure aid reaches civilians. He also vowed to hold RSF members accountable for abuses and safeguard offices of humanitarian organizations.
3 killed, 5 injured in attack at federal force headquarters in Pakistan's Peshawar
At least three security personnel were killed and five others injured on Monday morning in an attack at the Federal Constabulary's headquarters in Pakistan's northwest Khyber Pakhtunkhwa provincial capital of Peshawar, police said.
Inspector General of Police of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Zulfiqar Hameed told the media that a suicide bomber exploded his jacket at the main gate of the Federal Constabulary headquarters, formerly known as Frontier Constabulary.
Following the attack, two terrorists entered the initial area of the headquarters, but guards on duty shot both of the terrorists dead on the spot, said the police chief.
4 Palestinians killed in Israeli attacks across Gaza
Four Palestinians were killed on Monday in Israeli attacks across the Gaza Strip, Palestinian medical sources said.
Two Palestinians were killed by Israeli artillery fire near the so-called "yellow line," which designates areas under Israeli control, in the al-Shaaf neighborhood, east of Gaza City, according to the sources.
They added that another Palestinian was killed and two others injured in an Israeli drone strike east of Khan Younis in the south, while a fourth person was killed in an airstrike in the town of Bani Suheila, also east of Khan Younis.■
