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• President Donald Trump said the United States and China would "very shortly" sign their so-called Phase One trade pact.


• "We just achieved a breakthrough on the trade deal and we will be signing it very shortly," Trump said at a Turning Point USA event in Florida.

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• The United States lifted fast-changing Sudan from a blacklist for religious freedom violations as it issued warnings to Nigeria, Cuba and Nicaragua.


• Sudan was the only nation removed from the State Department’s annual list of “countries of particular concern,” which are subject to sanctions if they do not better protect religious liberty.


• Civilian economist Abdalla Hamdok became Sudan’s prime minister in September, pledging national reconciliation after decades of military rule and conflict.

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• Germany’s parliament passed a resolution calling for a national ban on the activities of Hezbollah and for the Lebanese militant group to be put on the European Union’s terrorist list.


• Mathias Middelberg, the spokesman for Chancellor Angela Merkel’s conservatives in parliament, said the joint resolution was agreed upon with the junior coalition Social Democrats, as well as the opposition Free Democrats.

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• India and China resolved to intensify efforts to achieve a "fair", "reasonable" and mutually acceptable solution to the vexed boundary issue and agreed that its early settlement will serve the fundamental interests of both countries.


• There was a consensus during "constructive" border talks between Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi and National Security Adviser Ajit Doval that both sides should respect each other's sensitivities and concerns in order to build mutual trust, according to the External Affairs Ministry.

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• Section 144 has been imposed in Haridwar in view of the protests against the Citizenship Amendment Act, scheduled to be held in the city.


• Bhim Army will take out a march against the newly amended Act, in Haridwar.


• "Extra force is being deployed here and those who cause nuisance will not be spared," Ashok Kumar, Director General (Law and Order), Haridwar told.

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• Prime Minister Narendra Modi will launch the BJP's assembly election campaign in Delhi with a mega rally at Ramlila Maidan.


• The rally is being held amid nationwide protests against the new citizenship law that was cleared by parliament last week.


• In a statement, senior BJP leader Vijay Goel said that preparations for the rally - being organized to thank PM Modi for giving ownership rights to 40 lakh residents of 1,731 unauthorized colonies in the national capital - are in full swing.

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• The Jamia Millia Islamia has submitted a fresh report to the HRD Ministry requesting judicial inquiry into the entry of police on the university premises last.


• The varsity had earlier submitted reports in the matter on December 15-16.


• In the fresh report submitted to the ministry on December 20, Jamia reiterated its request for the initiation of an inquiry committee or a judicial inquiry to the incident.

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• For the students of Assam and Meghalaya, who had registered for the CSIR-UGC NET but could not appear for the exam on December 15, the exam will be held on December 27.


• Exam conducting body, National Testing Agency (NTA), had postponed the exam, scheduled on December 15, due to protests in these states against the Citizenship Amendment Act.


• In Assam the exam will be held in the cities of Dibrugarh, Guwahati, Jorhat, Silchar, Sivasagar and Tezpur and in Meghalaya it will be held in Shillong.

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• India's foreign exchange reserves continued their upward trajectory during the week ended December 13 to touch new record highs.


• The forex reserves rose by $1.07 billion during the week under review, official data showed.


• The Reserve Bank of India's weekly statistical supplement showed that overall forex reserves increased to $454.49 billion from $453.42 billion reported for the week ended December 6.

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• Jurgen Klopp described winning the Club World Cup as "absolutely sensational" after Roberto Firmino's extra-time goal allowed Liverpool to beat Flamengo 1-0 in the final in Doha and lift the trophy for the first time.


• Roberto Firmino was picked out by Sadio Mane and waited for goalkeeper Diego Alves to commit before slotting low into the net in the 99th minute of an absorbing contest at the Khalifa International Stadium.

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• Barcelona go into the brief Spanish winter break on top of La Liga after a glittering show from Lionel Messi helped the defending champions beat Alaves 4-1.


• Real Madrid, who drew 0-0 in Barcelona in the midweek Clasico, can draw level top on 39 points but behind on goal difference if they win at home to Atletico Bilbao.


• Seville are assured third place over Christmas on 34 points after their 2-0 win in Mallorca.

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• Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has been re-elected as the president of the ruling Awami League while the country's transport minister Obaidul Quader will continue to be the party's general secretary.


• Ms. Hasina was re-elected to the post for a ninth term, while Mr. Quader has been re-elected for a second term, The Daily Star Bangladesh reported.


• The two leaders were elected on the final day of the two-day national council of Awami League held at the Institute of Engineers, Bangladesh here.

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• Indian-American Dr Monisha Ghosh has been appointed as the first woman Chief Technology Officer at the US government's powerful Federal Communications Commission.


• She will advise Indian-American Chairman of the FCC Ajit Pai and the agency on technology and engineering issues, and work closely with the Office of Engineering and Technology. Dr. Ghosh will take charge on January 13 next year.

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• Cuba’s first prime minister in more than four decades long-serving tourism minister Manuel Marrero took office as the country resurrected a post last held by Fidel Castro.


• The appointment of Marrero, 56, as head of government is part of a process of decentralization and generational change from the revolutionary old guard that is aimed at extending and protecting Communist Party rule.


• “This proposal was duly approved by the political bureau of the Communist Party of Cuba,” President Miguel Diaz-Canel said, presenting it to the country’s National Assembly, which unanimously signed off.

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• Former West Ham and Tottenham midfielder Martin Peters, who scored England's second goal in the 1966 World Cup final against West Germany, has died aged 76 following a long battle against Alzheimer's disease.


• Peters, whose death was announced by West Ham, was part of the Hammers trio of captain Bobby Moore and Geoff Hurst, who scored a hat-trick in the 4-2 victory at Wembley, for England's only World Cup triumph.