28 Feb 2019; AP: Security experts say the U.S. government is likely exaggerating the threat it says the Chinese telecommunications giant Huawei poses to the world’s next-generation wireless networks.

Washington has mounted an intense diplomatic offensive that paints Huawei as an untrustworthy servant of Beijing’s intelligence agencies.

UNITED NATIONS, Feb. 27 (Xinhua) -- A Chinese envoy on Wednesday called for international efforts to help silence the guns in Africa by 2020.

Over the past few years, the African Union (AU) and African countries have been vigorously implementing Agenda 2063 and the initiative of silencing the guns in Africa by 2020 alongside the steady improvement of the continent's peace and security situation, said Wu Haitao, China's deputy permanent representative to the United Nations.

New Delhi, Feb 27 (PTI) Twenty-one opposition parties Wednesday expressed anguish over what they alleged was "blatant politicisation" of the sacrifices of armed forces and urged the government to take the nation into confidence on all measures to protect India's sovereignty, unity and integrity.

After a meeting in the Parliament Library, the leaders of these parties issued a joint statement, expressing concern over the prevailing security situation in the country.

Jammu, Feb 27 (PTI) A senior J-K BJP leader Wednesday accused the state police of harassing the city's youth on "selective basis" in the wake of the anti-Pakistan protests over the Pulwama terror attack.

A curfew was clamped in Jammu city on February 15 following massive protests, a day after 40 CRPF personnel died in Pulwama. The crowd torched vehicles while rival groups pelted stones at each other at some places including Gujjar Nagar.

New Delhi, Feb 27 (PTI) Senior Aam Aadmi Party leader Sanjay Singh on Wednesday took a dig at the BJP and Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his proposed mega-video conference, amid heightened tensions with Pakistan.

MOSCOW, February 27. /TASS/. A unique transparent with a visible yellow shade, gem-quality rough diamond weighing 98.8 carats was mined at Zapolyarnaya kimberlite pipe, which is the part of the Verkhne-Munskoye diamond deposit on February 17, 2019, Russia’s diamond producer Alrosa said in a statement on Wednesday.

STOCKHOLM, February 27. /TASS/. The Swedish Security Police (SAPO) have taken a man into custody suspected of spying for Russia, the press service said on Wednesday.

"A man suspected of illegal intelligence activity against Sweden has been detained. The security police are carrying out a preliminary investigation, led by prosecutors from the national security department," the statement said.

28 Feb 2019; AFP: The US House of Representatives on Wednesday passed its first major gun safety measure in a quarter century, a landmark bill that would expand background checks to virtually all firearm sales.

While the effort managed to draw a handful of Republicans and was deemed a historic step by newly empowered Democrats and gun control advocates, it is unlikely to advance in the Republican-controlled Senate.

Dhanbad (J'khand), Feb 27 (PTI) A sedition case has been registered against 11 youths in Jharkhand's Dhanbad district after a photo emerged on social media purportedly showing them wearing shirts made out of the Pakistan flag, police said Wednesday.

Superintendent of Police (Dhanbad-Rural) Aman Kumar said five of the youths, suspected to have figured in the group photo, had been arrested on Wednesday. The police refused to share details of those arrested.

BASRA, Iraq, Feb. 27 (Xinhua) -- China's Petroleum Engineering and Construction Corporation (CPECC) and Iraq's Basra Gas Company (BGC) signed Wednesday a contract for constructing a natural gas liquids (NGL) plant in Iraq's southern province of Basra.

During the signing ceremony, CPECC President Liu Haijun said "we are delighted to have been selected by BGC to be part of this strategically important gas project. Winning this important contract represents a new recognition of our proven capacity in project execution in Iraq."

TOKYO, Feb. 28 (Xinhua) -- Japan's factory output dropped in January from a month earlier, the government said in a report on Thursday.

According to the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, industrial output here declined 3.7 percent in January, following a 0.1 percent drop in December.

The ministry also said in its preliminary report that the seasonally adjusted index of output at factories and mines stood at 100.8 against the 2015 base of 100.

27 Feb 2019; DW: The apparent violation of Germany's arms export control regulations by Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, revealed by DW and other news outlets on Tuesday, has drawn angry reactions from opposition politicians and anti-arms trade activists.