Author: RT

Abe becomes Japan’s longest-serving prime-minister Shinzo Abe has entered the history books as Japan’s longest-serving premier, AFP reported. Wednesday marks Abe’s 2,887th day in office, topping the record previously set by Taro Katsura, a revered politician who served three times between 1901 and 1913. Abe’s grip on power remains firm as the 65-year-old passes the landmark, with his tenure likely to last until at least September 2021 and no clear successor yet on the horizon. The premier has plenty of unfinished business, saying earlier this year that he hoped to “take on the challenge to create a new country.” He has reiterated his long-cherished ambition of revising Japan’s post-war constitution to change the status of the country’s self defense forces. Abe bec...

China & Saudi Arabia launch joint naval exercise – reports China and Saudi Arabia have begun a three-week joint naval exercise, according to Chinese state media. The joint exercise at a Saudi Arabian naval base comes as tensions in the Gulf have risen over recent attacks on oil tankers and a major assault on Saudi energy facilities. Beijing maintains close ties with Saudi Arabia, which is China’s top oil supplier to date, but it has also sought to strengthen ties with Iran, Reuters said. The joint exercise was designed to build trust between the two sides to combat maritime terrorism and piracy, officials say. China & Saudi Arabia launch joint naval exercise – reports Source: RT

President Ghani claims victory over ISIS in Afghanistan Security forces have “obliterated” Islamic State (IS, formerly ISIS) militants in Afghanistan, President Ashraf Ghani has said. The statement came hours after a prisoner swap with Taliban insurgents raised hopes of a lull in violence in the country. More than 600 IS fighters have surrendered with their families to the Afghan government in past weeks, Reuters reported. Airstrikes by Afghan and coalition forces, lack of funds and low morale have forced the group to give up, officials say. “No one believed one year ago that we would stand up and today be saying we have obliterated” IS, Ghani told a gathering of elders and officials in Jalalabad on Tuesday. Zabihullah Mujahid, the Taliban’s official spokesperson, said that th...