World News Roundup: India, China agree to pull back troops from the disputed Himalayan lake; Presidents Biden and Xi hold first phone call amid tense U.S.-China relations and more

Suu Kyi aide, electoral officials arrested in Myanmar, Biden approves sanctions A close aide to ousted Myanmar leader Aung San Suu Kyi was detained in a new wave of arrests following last week's military coup, a party official said on Thursday, as Washington moved a step closer to imposing sanctions on the junta.

Following is a summary of current world news briefs.

India, China agree to pull back troops from disputed Himalayan lake

India and China on Thursday began to pull back troops and battle tanks from a bitterly contested lake area high in the western Himalayas on Thursday in a breakthrough after a months-long standoff on the disputed border. Indian Defence Minister Rajnath Singh told parliament the two sides had reached an agreement to withdraw from Pangong Tso, a glacial lake at 14,000 ft (4,270 metres), after several rounds of talks between military commanders and diplomats from the nuclear-armed neighbours.

Presidents Biden and Xi hold first phone call amid tense U.S.-China relations

U.S. President Joe Biden and his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping held their first telephone call as leaders, with Biden saying a free and open Indo-Pacific was a priority and Xi warning confrontation would be a 'disaster' for both nations. Biden also underscored his "fundamental concerns about Beijing's coercive and unfair practices, its crackdown in Hong Kong, reported human rights abuses in Xinjiang, and increasingly assertive actions in the region, including toward Taiwan", the White House said in a statement.

Suu Kyi aide, electoral officials arrested in Myanmar, Biden approves sanctions

A close aide to ousted Myanmar leader Aung San Suu Kyi was detained in a new wave of arrests following last week's military coup, a party official said on Thursday, as Washington moved a step closer to imposing sanctions on the junta. The aide, Kyaw Tint Swe, had served as minister for the office of the state counsellor under Suu Kyi, who has been detained since the Feb. 1 coup.

Plans afoot for Biden to join virtual Munich Security Conference: source

U.S. President Joe Biden has been invited to address a virtual edition of the annual Munich Security Conference on Feb. 19 and plans are being made for him to do so, a diplomatic source told Reuters on Thursday. Should Biden's address go ahead, it would be the first time he has spoken to an audience in Germany since he assumed office last month. "There are plans for the U.S. president to attend," the diplomatic source said. Australian envoy speaks with detained economist in Myanmar

Australia's Minister for Foreign Affairs Marise Payne said on Thursday the country's envoy to Myanmar had spoken with Sean Turnell, the economist and adviser to deposed leader Aung San Suu Kyi. Turnell said on Saturday he was being detained, the first known arrest of a foreign national since the Feb. 1 military coup that overthrew Suu Kyi's elected government. 'Sailing Nun' to help steer Church course with key Vatican job

Sister Nathalie Becquart, 52, who Pope Francis appointed last week to a key Vatican post, is an accomplished seafarer who loves using nautical images to illustrate her views of life, faith and the role of women in the Roman Catholic Church. "I find myself sailing in the middle of the ocean towards a new adventure," she said of her new position. Italy's 5-Star members vote over Draghi as political crisis nears end

Italy's anti-establishment 5-Star Movement began voting on Thursday on whether to support a cabinet led by former European Central Bank head Mario Draghi, in what could be one of the final steps before a new government is formed. Draghi, who received the mandate to lead a new cabinet after Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte resigned, has held two rounds of talks with parties to pull together an administration. European rights advocate asks Russia to explain police action over protests

A European human rights advocate has asked Russia to explain reports police used excessive force to disperse anti-Kremlin protests and committed rights abuses, and reminded Moscow of peoples' right to freedom of assembly. More than 11,000 people were detained at protests in recent weeks over the arrest and imprisonment of Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny, according to non-governmental group OVD-Info, which monitors arrests during mass protests. Ireland calls for calm as EU rebuffs British Brexit demands

Ireland on Thursday called on the European Union and Britain to dial down the rhetoric in a blame game over post-Brexit trade frictions after Brussels rejected most of London's demands for easier trade with Northern Ireland. Britain has sought to extract concessions from the EU since the European Commission sought briefly last month to prevent coronavirus vaccines from moving across the open border between EU member Ireland and the British province of Northern Ireland. Taiwan expresses 'admiration' for Biden concern in Xi call

Taiwan's government expressed its thanks to and "admiration" for U.S. President Joe Biden on Thursday after he told his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping of his concerns about Beijing's pressure against the island China, which claims as its own territory. Biden's government, which took office on Jan. 20, has moved to reassure democratic Taiwan that its commitment to them is "rock solid", especially after China stepped up its military activity near the island shortly after Biden's inauguration.