The Chinese Defense Ministry, on 18 December, said that it has decided to return a United States underwater drone it seized in international waters, saying Washington "hyped up" the issue.

Beijing's statement came on Saturday soon after President-elect Donald Trump weighed in on the matter, calling China's action "unprecedented."

"China steals United States Navy research drone in international waters - rips it out of water and takes it to China in unprecedented act," tweeted Trump.

The United States has strongly condemned the terrorist attack in Turkey's central province of Kayseri that killed thirteen soldiers and said that it stands by the country in its fight against terrorism.

Spokesperson of the US State Department, John Kirby said, "We are saddened and outraged to see reports of another terrorist attack against Turkish security forces, this time in the city of Kayseri. We send our thoughts and prayers to the loved ones of those killed and wounded in this horrible attack."

"There is absolutely no justification for the inhumane acts perpetrated against the Turkish people by terrorists. We are in close touch with Turkish authorities and have offered our support to the ongoing investigation of this attack," he added.

Thirteen people were killed when an Indonesian air force transport plane crashed into a mountain during a training exercise in the remote region of Papua.

The news was confirmed by a search and rescue team.

The Hercules C130 plane, before crashing near Wamena, had taken off from the city of Timika said Ivan Ahmad Riski Titus, operational director of Indonesia's Search and Rescue Agency, reported an international news agency.

The Jammu Kashmir Vichar Manch (JKVM), on 18 December, will be organising the finals of the annual Gaashtarukh V at the Mavlankar Hall, Delhi, to encourage displaced Kashmiri children to reconnect with their cultural roots.

The event to be held between 3:30 pm and 7:30 pm, will see the participation of about 43 displaced Kashmiri kids currently living in various parts of the Delhi NCR. Competitions have been organised for Kashmiri songs, dance and instrumentals.

The aim of this annual Gaashtarukh competition is to keep the young displaced Kashmiri community connected with their cultural roots.

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has registered a money laundering case in the alleged forging of a customer's identity to conduct huge illegal transactions in an Axis Bank branch in Noida for conversion of black funds into white post demonetisation.

The individual, identified as N Paswan, in his complaint filed with the police has claimed that his identity has been forged and a current and a savings account were opened in his name in the said branch which were allegedly used to launder crores of rupees post demonetisation.

Officials said the ED registered a criminal complaint under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) taking cognisance of the police FIR on a complaint filed by Paswan, a resident of Delhi's Pitampura area.