Daily World Briefing, Feb. 19

U.S. withdrawing all troops from Syria

The United States is withdrawing all of its roughly 1,000 troops from Syria, The Wall Street Journal reported on Wednesday, citing three U.S. officials.

The Pentagon earlier this month withdrew all U.S. soldiers from the Al-Shaddadi base in northeastern Syria and from the Al Tanf garrison, a strategic outpost at the borders of Syria, Jordan and Iraq, according to the report.

Over the next two months, all remaining U.S. forces will leave Syria, ending a decade-long U.S. military presence which the White House has deemed no longer necessary in the country, two U.S. officials told the journal.

Iranian, Russian navies to hold joint drill on Thursday

The naval forces of Iran and Russia are scheduled to hold a joint exercise in the Gulf of Oman and northern part of the Indian Ocean on Thursday, according to the semi-official Mehr news agency.

Takaichi officially reelected as Japan PM in parliament

Sanae Takaichi, president of Japan's ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), was elected as the country's 105th prime minister on Wednesday by lawmakers in parliament.

At an extraordinary Diet session convened on the day, the lower house and the upper house held a prime ministerial appointment vote, respectively.

European delegations excluded from talks on Ukraine crisis in Geneva

European delegations were not allowed to participate in the latest round of talks on the Ukraine crisis held in Geneva, RIA Novosti news agency reported Wednesday.

The European representatives were barred from joining the discussions and remained at a hotel, the report said.

Su Yiming wins men's snowboard slopestyle title for China's first gold at Milan-Cortina

Su Yiming captured gold in the men's snowboard slopestyle final at the Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics on Wednesday, delivering the first gold medal for China at the Games.

Su seized the lead in the opening run with 82.41 points, a mark that ultimately proved decisive. The victory, secured on his 22nd birthday, made his Olympic triumph all the more memorable.■