21.   Relations have taken a downturn over demands from the US Congress that the United Nations reduce spending and streamline its operations.

22.   Sino-Japanese relations have taken a beating in recent months amid an emotional territorial dispute over an isolated island chain in the East China Sea.

23.   The Malaysian cabinet said last week that it was accepting the apology but that relations would take time to become normal.

24.   The Malaysian cabinet said last week that it was accepting the apology but that relations would take time to normalise.