China to relax travel rules for British visitors, UK says
China has agreed to allow British citizens to travel to the country for up to 30 days without a visa, Downing Street has said, BBC reported.
The announcement came after Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer met President Xi Jinping in Beijing, as he became the first British leader to visit the country in eight years.
The trip also saw an agreement to cut import taxes on UK whisky from 10% to 5%, as the government seeks closer trade ties with Beijing to help boost economic growth, according to BBC.
Trump says Putin will not attack Ukraine cities during cold week
US President Donald Trump says Russia's Vladimir Putin has agreed not to attack Ukraine's capital, Kyiv, and other cities and towns for a week due to "extraordinary cold" weather, BBC reported.
Russia has not confirmed any such agreement, but Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky welcomed Trump's announcement and said he expected Russia to keep its promise.
Trump did not specify when the pause would begin, but temperatures in the Ukrainian capital are due to plummet from Thursday night and reach -24C (-11F) in the next few days, according to BBC.
Starmer, Xi signal reset in China-UK ties, eye economic wins
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer told Chinese President Xi Jinping on Thursday that he wanted to build a "sophisticated relationship" with Beijing to boost the UK economy, signalling a reset after years of strained ties, Reuters reported.
On the key day of his four-day visit to China, the first by a British prime minister in eight years, Starmer held an 80-minute summit with Xi at the Great Hall of the People before they lunched together. Starmer said the pair chatted about soccer and Shakespeare, as well as business matters.
The British leader will also meet Premier Li Qiang, according to Reuters.
Ecuador says ICE agent attempted to enter its Minneapolis consulate
The government of Ecuador has condemned what it described as an attempt by a US federal immigration agent to enter the Ecuadorean consulate in Minneapolis, BBC reported.
The agent was prevented from gaining access by consular officials, who acted "to guarantee the protection of the Ecuadoreans who were inside the consulate at the time", a statement by Ecuador's foreign ministry said.
Ecuador, whose president is an ally of Trump, has filed an official complaint, according to BBC.
