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Xinhua world news summary at 1530 GMT, Jan.17

Xinhua,January 17, 2018 Adjust font size:

TRIPOLI -- Libya's UN-backed government said on Wednesday that it is considering a cabinet reshuffle in the near future.

"The Presidential Council of the Government of National Accord headed by Fayez Serraj held its first meeting in 2018 in Tripoli," the media office of the prime minister said in a statement."The discussion included a ministerial reshuffle with an expansion of the government as soon as possible." (Libya-Cabinet Reshuffle)

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SEOUL -- South Korea and the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) on Wednesday agreed to let athletes march together at the opening ceremony of the 2018 Winter Olympics under a unified Korea flag, Seoul's unification ministry said.

The two Koreas also agreed to field a joint women's ice hockey team, while holding a joint cultural event at Mount Kumgang in the DPRK's eastern region, before the opening ceremony of the 2018 Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games slated to run from February to March in South Korea's eastern county of PyeongChang.(South Korea-DPRK-Winter Olympics)

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TEHRAN -- Iran's Foreign Ministry on Wednesday refuted media reports that Tehran has agreed to negotiate over its missile program, Press TV reported.

Foreign ministry spokesman Bahram Qasemi called the reports "unfounded" and said his country's "policy and stance concerning its defensive missile program are completely clear and transparent, and that other countries are well aware of that position."

The Financial Times report on Tuesday said that Iran has agreed to enter negotiations over its missile program as well as its regional role during a recent meeting in Brussels with the EU representatives.(Iran-Missile Program)

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YANGON -- At least seven people were killed and 12 others injured in Tuesday night's clashes between demonstrators and police in Mrauk U, Myanmar's western Rakhine state, said a press release of the Information Ministry Wednesday.

Expressing dissatisfaction over a ban on literary talks show to mark the 233rd anniversary of the fall of ethnic Arakan Kingdom, some 1,000 demonstrators gathered around the local administration office building at about 7 p.m. local time to in protest and clashed with the police, it said. (Myanmar-Clashes) Enditem