Elizabeth Warren and Bernie Sanders offered an unabashed defence of their progressive policies during a Democratic presidential debate on Tuesday, as their more moderate rivals aimed their proposals as unrealistic and politically untenable.

The debate frequently pitted the two US senators against the rest of the 10 candidates on stage, with healthcare and immigration policy highlighting the divisions between the two camps.

On the first night of back-to-back debates, Democrats were united in stressing the urgency of defeating Republican <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/outrage-as-donald-trump-brands-mostly-black-baltimore-infested-mess-238913">President Donald Trump</a> in the November 2020 election. But they delivered bruising critiques of their party rivals` positions as detailed policy disputes dominated the nearly three-hour event.

Trump has been eager to paint the entire Democratic field as socialists, seeking to make any eventual nominee untenable to voters by arguing Democrats want to raise taxes, open the US borders and take away private healthcare.&nbsp;

The dispute between the moderate and liberal wings of the Democratic Party highlighted the central question of the nominating contest: Which candidate in the field of more than two dozen would be best positioned to beat Trump next year.

Montana Governor Steve Bullock, emerging as a forceful voice in his first presidential debate, criticized fellow candidates for being too liberal in the opening round of debates last month in Miami.

"Watching that last debate, folks seemed more concerned about scoring points or outdoing each other with wish-list economics than making sure Americans know we hear their voices and will help their lives," Bullock said. 
Progressives argued their policies would excite voters and allow them to draw a distinct contrast to Trump.&nbsp;

Taking a jab at former <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/democrats-clash-on-healthcare-in-feisty-first-us-presidential-debate-230721">US Representative John Delaney</a>, who often played the role of liberal foil during the debate, Warren said: "I don’t understand why anybody goes to all the trouble of running for president of the United States to talk about what we really can’t do and shouldn’t fight for."&nbsp;

As the front-runners in the polls among the candidates debating on Tuesday, Sanders and Warren often found themselves defending the policy positions they share.&nbsp;

"I get a little bit tired of Democrats afraid of big ideas. Republicans are not afraid of big ideas," Sanders said.

The two are seeking to gain ground against former Vice President Joe Biden, who currently leads in opinion polls among Democratic contenders.

Healthcare, Immigration

The early part of the debate centred on a dispute about the future of the US healthcare system, and whether Democrats should embrace Medicare for All proposals that would have the government take over the health insurance industry.&nbsp;

The divisions over how best to provide Americans access to affordable healthcare is one of the early defining issues in the Democratic race for the 2020 presidential nomination to take on Trump.

Some contenders argued the proposal pushed by the progressives would take private insurance away from people who currently prefer their coverage and force a tax increase on the middle class.

"Why do we have to be the party of taking something away from people?" said Delaney, who has been critical of Medicare for All. 
&nbsp; 
He argued that Democrats should not back proposals that would eliminate private insurance.&nbsp;

"They are running on telling half the country that your health insurance is illegal," Delaney said, pointing to Warren and Sanders. Warren interjected to defend the proposal.&nbsp;

"We`re not trying to take healthcare away from anyone. That`s what Republicans are trying to do."

Sanders, who has introduced a Medicare for All bill in the US Senate, said: "Healthcare is a human right, not a privilege. I believe that I will fight for that."

The candidates also differed on immigration policy - disagreeing on whether illegal border crossings should be decriminalized.

"You don`t have to decriminalize everything," Bullock said. "What you have to do is to have a president in there with the judgment and the decency to treat someone that comes to the border like one of our own."

Warren disagreed, saying: "We need to expand legal immigration, we need to create a path for citizenship not just for dreamers but for grandmas and for people who have been working here in the farms and for students who have overstayed their visas."

"You are playing into Donald Trump`s hands," Bullock said.&nbsp;

Lower-tier candidates were aiming to produce the kind of post-debate surge that US Senator Kamala Harris enjoyed after a strong performance in the first debate after confronting Biden on the issue of race.&nbsp;

The two nights in Detroit could be the last chance for many contenders to debate on the national stage, as the Democratic National Committee will double its fundraising and polling requirements to qualify for participation in the next debates in September and October.

Ten more candidates will face off on Wednesday night, including Biden and Harris.&nbsp;

Elizabeth Warren and Bernie Sanders offered an unabashed defence of their progressive policies during a Democratic presidential debate on Tuesday, as their more moderate rivals aimed their proposals as unrealistic and politically untenable.

Elizabeth Warren and Bernie Sanders offered an unabashed defence of their progressive policies during a Democratic presidential debate on Tuesday, as their more moderate rivals aimed their proposals as unrealistic and politically untenable. The debate frequently pitted the two US senators against the rest of the 10 candidates on stage, with healthcare and immigration policy highlighting the divisions between the two camps. On the first night of back-to-back debates, Democrats were united in stressing the urgency of defeating Republican President Donald Trump in the November 2020 election. But they delivered bruising critiques of their party rivals` positions as detailed policy disputes dominated the nearly three-hour event. Trump has been eager to paint the entire Democratic field as socialists, seeking to make any eventual nominee untenable to voters by arguing Democrats want to raise taxes, open the US borders and take away private healthcare. The dispute between the moderate and liberal wings of the Democratic Party highlighted the central question of the nominating contest: Which candidate in the field of more than two dozen would be best positioned to beat Trump next year. Montana Governor Steve Bullock, emerging as a forceful voice in his first presidential debate, criticized fellow candidates for being too liberal in the opening round of debates last month in Miami. "Watching that last debate, folks seemed more concerned about scoring points or outdoing each other with wish-list economics than making sure Americans know we hear their voices and will help their lives," Bullock said. Progressives argued their policies would excite voters and allow them to draw a distinct contrast to Trump. Taking a jab at former US Representative John Delaney, who often played the role of liberal foil during the debate, Warren said: "I don’t understand why anybody goes to all the trouble of running for president of the United States to talk about what we really can’t do and shouldn’t fight for." As the front-runners in the polls among the candidates debating on Tuesday, Sanders and Warren often found themselves defending the policy positions they share. "I get a little bit tired of Democrats afraid of big ideas. Republicans are not afraid of big ideas," Sanders said. The two are seeking to gain ground against former Vice President Joe Biden, who currently leads in opinion polls among Democratic contenders. Healthcare, Immigration The early part of the debate centred on a dispute about the future of the US healthcare system, and whether Democrats should embrace Medicare for All proposals that would have the government take over the health insurance industry. The divisions over how best to provide Americans access to affordable healthcare is one of the early defining issues in the Democratic race for the 2020 presidential nomination to take on Trump. Some contenders argued the proposal pushed by the progressives would take private insurance away from people who currently prefer their coverage and force a tax increase on the middle class. "Why do we have to be the party of taking something away from people?" said Delaney, who has been critical of Medicare for All. He argued that Democrats should not back proposals that would eliminate private insurance. "They are running on telling half the country that your health insurance is illegal," Delaney said, pointing to Warren and Sanders. Warren interjected to defend the proposal. "We`re not trying to take healthcare away from anyone. That`s what Republicans are trying to do." Sanders, who has introduced a Medicare for All bill in the US Senate, said: "Healthcare is a human right, not a privilege. I believe that I will fight for that." The candidates also differed on immigration policy - disagreeing on whether illegal border crossings should be decriminalized. "You don`t have to decriminalize everything," Bullock said. "What you have to do is to have a president in there with the judgment and the decency to treat someone that comes to the border like one of our own." Warren disagreed, saying: "We need to expand legal immigration, we need to create a path for citizenship not just for dreamers but for grandmas and for people who have been working here in the farms and for students who have overstayed their visas." "You are playing into Donald Trump`s hands," Bullock said. Lower-tier candidates were aiming to produce the kind of post-debate surge that US Senator Kamala Harris enjoyed after a strong performance in the first debate after confronting Biden on the issue of race. The two nights in Detroit could be the last chance for many contenders to debate on the national stage, as the Democratic National Committee will double its fundraising and polling requirements to qualify for participation in the next debates in September and October. Ten more candidates will face off on Wednesday night, including Biden and Harris.

Elizabeth Warren and Bernie Sanders defend progressive policies in US Democratic debate

Israel has given rare approval to Palestinian homes in the part of the occupied West Bank it fully controls while also backing a large settlement expansion, ahead of White House advisor Jared Kushner's key visit Wednesday.

An Israeli official, speaking on condition of anonymity Wednesday, confirmed the approval by the country's security cabinet the previous day, ahead of the arrival by US President Donald Trump's son-in-law and senior adviser.

The approval of 700 homes for Palestinians and 6,000 for Israeli settlers comes as the White House seeks to promote Kushner's long-awaited peace plan.

It was not immediately clear if all of the homes would be new or if some already exist and are receiving retroactive approval.

While the number of homes approved for Palestinians is relatively small and far outweighed by the number of settlement homes, the move could allow Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to argue he is making efforts to make Kushner's plan succeed.

Kushner visited Jordan on Wednesday and was later on his way to Israel as part of a Middle East tour.

He has said his plan will not mention a two-state solution because "it means one thing to the Israelis, it means one thing to the Palestinians."

Palestinians and many governments around the world warn that continued settlement construction by Israel in the West Bank is slowly eating away at hopes for a two-state solution to the conflict.

But US ambassador to Israel David Friedman, who has been a backer of Israeli settlements, reiterated his stance in an interview with CNN late Tuesday.

Friedman said the United States was in favour of Palestinian "autonomy," but signalled Washington was not ready for now to support full statehood -- similar to Netanyahu's position.

"The issue we have is agreeing in advance to a state because the word state conjures up with it so many potential issues that we think it does a disservice for us to use that phrase," he said.

"We believe in Palestinian autonomy. We believe in Palestinian civilian self-governance. We believe that that autonomy should be extended up until the point where it interferes with Israeli security, and it's a very complicated needle to thread."

He argued that the Palestinian Authority government may currently be too weak to prevent militant groups from overrunning it, resulting in a "failed state" that threatens Israel and neighbouring Jordan.

Palestinian boycott

The White House unveiled economic aspects of its peace plan at a conference in Bahrain in June, but it was boycotted by the Palestinians.

The Palestinians froze contacts with Trump's White House after his 2017 recognition of Jerusalem as Israel's capital and have already dismissed the peace plan as blatantly biased in favour of Israel.

In addition to the Jerusalem decision, Trump's administration has taken a series of moves against the Palestinians, including cutting hundreds of millions of dollars in aid and shutting their de facto embassy in Washington.

Tuesday's approvals are for housing in the part of the West Bank known as Area C, which is under Israeli security and civilian control and where most of its settlements are located.

Area C accounts for more than 60 per cent of the West Bank, the Palestinian territory that would form part of a future Palestinian state under the so-called two-state solution.

Israel rarely grants approvals for Palestinian construction in that area and frequently carries out demolitions of Palestinian buildings it considers illegally built.

Walid Assaf, the Palestinian Authority official who monitors Israeli settlements, told AFP the approvals were "vague and incomprehensible."

He said the approval of 700 Palestinian homes was partly a cover-up "for the construction of 6,000 settlement units to complete the outer envelope of Jerusalem, isolating it from the Palestinian territories."

The settlements are considered illegal under international law and are built on land that the Palestinians see as part of their future state.

Israel says that Palestinian intransigence, violence and incitement are the main impediments to peace.

Israel occupied the West Bank and East Jerusalem in the Six-Day War of 1967.

It later annexed east Jerusalem in a move never recognised by the international community and sees the entire city as its undivided capital.

The Palestinians see east Jerusalem as the capital of their future state.

Some 600,000 Israeli settlers now live in the West Bank and East Jerusalem, along with around 2.9 million Palestinians.

Israel has given rare approval to Palestinian homes in the part of the occupied West Bank it fully controls while also backing a large settlement expansion, ahead of White House advisor Jared Kushner's key visit Wednesday.

Israel has given rare approval to Palestinian homes in the part of the occupied West Bank it fully controls while also backing a large settlement expansion, ahead of White House advisor Jared Kushner's key visit Wednesday. An Israeli official, speaking on condition of anonymity Wednesday, confirmed the approval by the country's security cabinet the previous day, ahead of the arrival by US President Donald Trump's son-in-law and senior adviser. The approval of 700 homes for Palestinians and 6,000 for Israeli settlers comes as the White House seeks to promote Kushner's long-awaited peace plan. It was not immediately clear if all of the homes would be new or if some already exist and are receiving retroactive approval. While the number of homes approved for Palestinians is relatively small and far outweighed by the number of settlement homes, the move could allow Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to argue he is making efforts to make Kushner's plan succeed. Kushner visited Jordan on Wednesday and was later on his way to Israel as part of a Middle East tour. He has said his plan will not mention a two-state solution because "it means one thing to the Israelis, it means one thing to the Palestinians." Palestinians and many governments around the world warn that continued settlement construction by Israel in the West Bank is slowly eating away at hopes for a two-state solution to the conflict. But US ambassador to Israel David Friedman, who has been a backer of Israeli settlements, reiterated his stance in an interview with CNN late Tuesday. Friedman said the United States was in favour of Palestinian "autonomy," but signalled Washington was not ready for now to support full statehood -- similar to Netanyahu's position. "The issue we have is agreeing in advance to a state because the word state conjures up with it so many potential issues that we think it does a disservice for us to use that phrase," he said. "We believe in Palestinian autonomy. We believe in Palestinian civilian self-governance. We believe that that autonomy should be extended up until the point where it interferes with Israeli security, and it's a very complicated needle to thread." He argued that the Palestinian Authority government may currently be too weak to prevent militant groups from overrunning it, resulting in a "failed state" that threatens Israel and neighbouring Jordan. Palestinian boycott The White House unveiled economic aspects of its peace plan at a conference in Bahrain in June, but it was boycotted by the Palestinians. The Palestinians froze contacts with Trump's White House after his 2017 recognition of Jerusalem as Israel's capital and have already dismissed the peace plan as blatantly biased in favour of Israel. In addition to the Jerusalem decision, Trump's administration has taken a series of moves against the Palestinians, including cutting hundreds of millions of dollars in aid and shutting their de facto embassy in Washington. Tuesday's approvals are for housing in the part of the West Bank known as Area C, which is under Israeli security and civilian control and where most of its settlements are located. Area C accounts for more than 60 per cent of the West Bank, the Palestinian territory that would form part of a future Palestinian state under the so-called two-state solution. Israel rarely grants approvals for Palestinian construction in that area and frequently carries out demolitions of Palestinian buildings it considers illegally built. Walid Assaf, the Palestinian Authority official who monitors Israeli settlements, told AFP the approvals were "vague and incomprehensible." He said the approval of 700 Palestinian homes was partly a cover-up "for the construction of 6,000 settlement units to complete the outer envelope of Jerusalem, isolating it from the Palestinian territories." The settlements are considered illegal under international law and are built on land that the Palestinians see as part of their future state. Israel says that Palestinian intransigence, violence and incitement are the main impediments to peace. Israel occupied the West Bank and East Jerusalem in the Six-Day War of 1967. It later annexed east Jerusalem in a move never recognised by the international community and sees the entire city as its undivided capital. The Palestinians see east Jerusalem as the capital of their future state. Some 600,000 Israeli settlers now live in the West Bank and East Jerusalem, along with around 2.9 million Palestinians.

Kushner visits after Israel okays homes for Palestinians, settlers

The government in <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/will-continue-to-reduce-nuclear-deal-commitments-unless-europe-protects-iran-from-us-sanctions-javad-zarif-239698">sanctions-hit Iran</a> on Wednesday approved a plan to remove zeros from the rial and rename the currency -&nbsp;something its people have long been doing to simplify transactions.

"The cabinet today agreed on a bill to eliminate four zeros from the currency and that 'toman' will be our national currency," government spokesman Ali Rabiei told reporters in Tehran.

The value of the Iranian rial has hit low after record low since last year.

The currency was trading at about 37,000 to the dollar three years ago, but it slumped to around 180,000 last year.

That was after US President Donald Trump announced the United States was unilaterally withdrawing from the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/its-normal-for-iran-to-test-missiles-iranian-defence-minister-amir-hatami-239724">2015 Iran nuclear deal</a> and reimposing biting sanctions.

At the time, long queues were seen outside exchange offices, before the Iranian government took drastic measures by arresting unlicensed dealers and freezing the accounts of speculators.

Currently, the rial is trading at around 120,000 to the US dollar on the street, while the official rate is 42,000.

This means anyone without a bank card has had to virtually abandon coins and carry around thick wads of banknotes in their purses or wallets just to make everyday purchases.

In a bid to simplify transactions, Iranians have long referred to their currency as the toman and chopped off a zero -&nbsp;a unique system that is a source of confusion for foreign visitors.

The Iranian government has now acknowledged this with its latest move, which needs to be forwarded to parliament for final approval.

"This will make the national currency more effective," said the spokesman Rabiei.

"It will be more in line with common practice in society... the rial is not used that much.

"Coins will once again come into circulation," he added.

The International Monetary Fund has to forecast Iran's economy to shrink by 6.0 per cent this year due to sanctions and rising instability in the Middle East.

The government in sanctions-hit Iran on Wednesday approved a plan to remove zeros from the rial and rename the currency - something its people have long been doing to simplify transactions.

The government in sanctions-hit Iran on Wednesday approved a plan to remove zeros from the rial and rename the currency - something its people have long been doing to simplify transactions. "The cabinet today agreed on a bill to eliminate four zeros from the currency and that 'toman' will be our national currency," government spokesman Ali Rabiei told reporters in Tehran. The value of the Iranian rial has hit low after record low since last year. The currency was trading at about 37,000 to the dollar three years ago, but it slumped to around 180,000 last year. That was after US President Donald Trump announced the United States was unilaterally withdrawing from the 2015 Iran nuclear deal and reimposing biting sanctions. At the time, long queues were seen outside exchange offices, before the Iranian government took drastic measures by arresting unlicensed dealers and freezing the accounts of speculators. Currently, the rial is trading at around 120,000 to the US dollar on the street, while the official rate is 42,000. This means anyone without a bank card has had to virtually abandon coins and carry around thick wads of banknotes in their purses or wallets just to make everyday purchases. In a bid to simplify transactions, Iranians have long referred to their currency as the toman and chopped off a zero - a unique system that is a source of confusion for foreign visitors. The Iranian government has now acknowledged this with its latest move, which needs to be forwarded to parliament for final approval. "This will make the national currency more effective," said the spokesman Rabiei. "It will be more in line with common practice in society... the rial is not used that much. "Coins will once again come into circulation," he added. The International Monetary Fund has to forecast Iran's economy to shrink by 6.0 per cent this year due to sanctions and rising instability in the Middle East.

Sanctions-hit Iran to cut zeros and rename plunging currency

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/mexico-says-migrant-numbers-at-us-border-down-40-since-may-239609">Mexico</a> narrowly avoided slipping into recession during the first half of 2019 as the gross domestic product grew by a fraction in the second quarter, an initial estimate showed, but weakness persisted across the board.

A preliminary reading by the national statistics agency on Wednesday showed that Mexico's economy, Latin America's second-biggest, grew by 0.1 per cent in the April-June period from the previous quarter when adjusted for seasonal swings.

A Reuters poll of economists had forecast GDP would be flat compared with the first quarter when the economy shrank by 0.2 per cent quarter-on-quarter.

In unadjusted terms, the economy contracted by 0.7 per cent from the same period a year earlier.

Economists generally define two consecutive quarters of negative GDP as a technical recession, though there is no established global definition for the phenomenon.

The government has rejected the suggestion that the country is in a slump, and <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/trump-adviser-influential-senator-cast-doubt-on-mexico-tariffs-224742">President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador</a> on Monday was adamant that Mexico is not in a recession.

Investor confidence in Mexico has been shaken by some of the decisions of Lopez Obrador, a leftist exponent of economic nationalism who took office in December vowing to reduce chronic inequality and deliver average annual growth of 4 per cent.

In particular, his decision to cancel a partly built $13 billion new Mexico City airport and his retreat from the prior government's opening of the oil and gas industry to private capital have raised doubts about his economic credentials.

During the past few months, private and public sector analysts have pared back their Mexican growth forecasts, with some now predicting little expansion at all in 2019. Lopez Obrador said he expects growth of 2 per cent this year.

The president has attacked critics of his policies as supporters of what he has characterized as a corrupt "neo-liberal" era that preceded his time in office.

However, he has also had to contend with the risk of economic disruption from the United States the destination for around 80 per cent of Mexico's goods exports due to tensions with US President Donald Trump over illegal immigration.

Mexico narrowly avoided slipping into recession during the first half of 2019 as the gross domestic product grew by a fraction in the second quarter, an initial estimate showed, but weakness persisted across the board.

Mexico narrowly avoided slipping into recession during the first half of 2019 as the gross domestic product grew by a fraction in the second quarter, an initial estimate showed, but weakness persisted across the board. A preliminary reading by the national statistics agency on Wednesday showed that Mexico's economy, Latin America's second-biggest, grew by 0.1 per cent in the April-June period from the previous quarter when adjusted for seasonal swings. A Reuters poll of economists had forecast GDP would be flat compared with the first quarter when the economy shrank by 0.2 per cent quarter-on-quarter. In unadjusted terms, the economy contracted by 0.7 per cent from the same period a year earlier. Economists generally define two consecutive quarters of negative GDP as a technical recession, though there is no established global definition for the phenomenon. The government has rejected the suggestion that the country is in a slump, and President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador on Monday was adamant that Mexico is not in a recession. Investor confidence in Mexico has been shaken by some of the decisions of Lopez Obrador, a leftist exponent of economic nationalism who took office in December vowing to reduce chronic inequality and deliver average annual growth of 4 per cent. In particular, his decision to cancel a partly built $13 billion new Mexico City airport and his retreat from the prior government's opening of the oil and gas industry to private capital have raised doubts about his economic credentials. During the past few months, private and public sector analysts have pared back their Mexican growth forecasts, with some now predicting little expansion at all in 2019. Lopez Obrador said he expects growth of 2 per cent this year. The president has attacked critics of his policies as supporters of what he has characterized as a corrupt "neo-liberal" era that preceded his time in office. However, he has also had to contend with the risk of economic disruption from the United States the destination for around 80 per cent of Mexico's goods exports due to tensions with US President Donald Trump over illegal immigration.

Mexico narrowly escapes recession with minimal second-quarter growth

China's top diplomat on Wednesday warned outside countries not to amplify disputes in the South China Sea, where recent Chinese manoeuvring in the energy-rich waters has rattled regional states and drawn condemnation from the United States.

Chinese Councillor Wang Yi touted progress on an eventual Code of Conduct with the 10-member <a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-east-asia/southeast-asia-should-ban-foreign-trash-imports-environmentalists-228309">Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)</a> after meeting counterparts in the Thai capital.

Tensions have risen in the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/china-holds-military-drills-in-south-china-sea-near-taiwan-239171">South China Sea</a> over recent incidents between Chinese and Vietnamese and Philippine ships, the latest confrontations in a potential global flashpoint where the United States challenges China's sweeping maritime claims.

Wang, who is scheduled to meet US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo in Bangkok, reiterated after meeting ASEAN foreign ministers that China opposes interference by countries outside the region.

"We think non-regional countries should not deliberately amplify such differences or disputes left from the past," said Wang, responding to a question on the involvement of US and other non-Asian countries in the discussions.

"Non-regional countries should also not make use of these differences to sow distrust between China and ASEAN countries."

China recently said US criticism of its role in the South China Sea, including comments by Pompeo, were "slanderous".

Wang said China is in discussions to expand and "institutionalise" joint military drills with ASEAN countries in the region following two previous exercises.

The South China Sea was a key topic for ASEAN foreign ministers.

"Concerns were expressed by some ministers on the land reclamations, activities and serious incidents in the area," they said in a final communique.

The reference to "serious incidents" was stronger than that in the communique after their meeting last year, pointing to the extent to which tension over the region has risen.

China claims large parts of the South China Sea through which roughly $3.4 trillion in shipping passes each year. Countries including Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan and Vietnam contest the territorial claims.

China has unnerved the region and angered the United States by installing military equipment and other facilities on artificial islands it has made by reclaiming land and building up reefs and shoals.

Researchers and analysts say the latest standoff between Chinese and Vietnamese vessels could give the United States a new incentive to pressure China.

But they said China was unlikely to want to inflame the situation given its trade dispute with the United States and protests in Hong Kong.

"That tension right now going on between China and Vietnam will be the United States' anchor into making any statements on the South China Sea," said Jay Batongbacal, an expert on the South China Sea at the University of the Philippines.

"What China will be more concerned about is if the US tries to rally international support against China's activities," he said.

China's top diplomat on Wednesday warned outside countries not to amplify disputes in the South China Sea, where recent Chinese manoeuvring in the energy-rich waters has rattled regional states and drawn condemnation from the United States.

China's top diplomat on Wednesday warned outside countries not to amplify disputes in the South China Sea, where recent Chinese manoeuvring in the energy-rich waters has rattled regional states and drawn condemnation from the United States. Chinese Councillor Wang Yi touted progress on an eventual Code of Conduct with the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) after meeting counterparts in the Thai capital. Tensions have risen in the South China Sea over recent incidents between Chinese and Vietnamese and Philippine ships, the latest confrontations in a potential global flashpoint where the United States challenges China's sweeping maritime claims. Wang, who is scheduled to meet US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo in Bangkok, reiterated after meeting ASEAN foreign ministers that China opposes interference by countries outside the region. "We think non-regional countries should not deliberately amplify such differences or disputes left from the past," said Wang, responding to a question on the involvement of US and other non-Asian countries in the discussions. "Non-regional countries should also not make use of these differences to sow distrust between China and ASEAN countries." China recently said US criticism of its role in the South China Sea, including comments by Pompeo, were "slanderous". Wang said China is in discussions to expand and "institutionalise" joint military drills with ASEAN countries in the region following two previous exercises. The South China Sea was a key topic for ASEAN foreign ministers. "Concerns were expressed by some ministers on the land reclamations, activities and serious incidents in the area," they said in a final communique. The reference to "serious incidents" was stronger than that in the communique after their meeting last year, pointing to the extent to which tension over the region has risen. China claims large parts of the South China Sea through which roughly $3.4 trillion in shipping passes each year. Countries including Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan and Vietnam contest the territorial claims. China has unnerved the region and angered the United States by installing military equipment and other facilities on artificial islands it has made by reclaiming land and building up reefs and shoals. Researchers and analysts say the latest standoff between Chinese and Vietnamese vessels could give the United States a new incentive to pressure China. But they said China was unlikely to want to inflame the situation given its trade dispute with the United States and protests in Hong Kong. "That tension right now going on between China and Vietnam will be the United States' anchor into making any statements on the South China Sea," said Jay Batongbacal, an expert on the South China Sea at the University of the Philippines. "What China will be more concerned about is if the US tries to rally international support against China's activities," he said.

China warns outsiders not to 'sow distrust' in South China Sea

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/no-sense-for-us-to-exercise-maximum-pressure-says-china-as-trade-meeting-ends-239682">US and Chinese trade negotiators</a> agreed to meet again in the United States in September after holding "frank, highly efficient and constructive" talks in Shanghai on Wednesday, state media said.

US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and US Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer met with Vice Premier Liu He in the Chinese financial hub for the first face-to-face negotiations since a trade war truce was declared last month.

"The two sides conducted frank, highly efficient and constructive in-depth exchanges on major issues of common interest in the economic and trade field," according to the official Xinhua news agency.

Negotiators also discussed "the issue of China increasing its purchases of US agricultural products according to its domestic needs" and the US creating "favourable conditions for these purchases", Xinhua said.

Shortly after the US negotiators arrived in Shanghai on Tuesday, US President Donald Trump lambasted China on Twitter, accusing Beijing of not buying agricultural products as it was supposed to do.

Trump also warned China against waiting until the November 2020 US presidential election to make a deal because "if &amp; when I win, the deal that they get will be much tougher than what we are negotiating now ... or no deal at all".

US and Chinese trade negotiators agreed to meet again in the United States in September after holding "frank, highly efficient and constructive" talks in Shanghai on Wednesday, state media said.

US and Chinese trade negotiators agreed to meet again in the United States in September after holding "frank, highly efficient and constructive" talks in Shanghai on Wednesday, state media said. US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and US Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer met with Vice Premier Liu He in the Chinese financial hub for the first face-to-face negotiations since a trade war truce was declared last month. "The two sides conducted frank, highly efficient and constructive in-depth exchanges on major issues of common interest in the economic and trade field," according to the official Xinhua news agency. Negotiators also discussed "the issue of China increasing its purchases of US agricultural products according to its domestic needs" and the US creating "favourable conditions for these purchases", Xinhua said. Shortly after the US negotiators arrived in Shanghai on Tuesday, US President Donald Trump lambasted China on Twitter, accusing Beijing of not buying agricultural products as it was supposed to do. Trump also warned China against waiting until the November 2020 US presidential election to make a deal because "if & when I win, the deal that they get will be much tougher than what we are negotiating now ... or no deal at all".

US, Chinese trade negotiators to meet again in September: Report

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/saudi-led-forces-israel-among-states-rapped-by-un-for-killing-children-239735">Saudi-led forces, Israel among states rapped by United Nations for killing children</a> 
 
The UN report said the Houthis killed and injured 398 children and Yemeni government forces were responsible for 58 child casualties.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/india-takes-up-killing-of-indian-civilian-in-ceasefire-violation-by-pakistan-239696">India takes up killing of Indian civilian in ceasefire violation by Pakistan</a> 
 
Rahme Begum, resident of Dassi Baktoor, died after shelling by Pakistani army in Gurez sector of North Kashmir.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/will-continue-to-reduce-nuclear-deal-commitments-unless-europe-protects-iran-from-us-sanctions-javad-zarif-239698">Iran to cut nuke deal commitments if Europe doesn't protect from US sanctions</a> 
 
Iran has said it will reduce its commitment to the nuclear accord in stages and may even withdraw from the pact unless the Europeans find ways to shield its economy from the US sanctions.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/in-a-bid-to-curb-plastic-pollution-pepsi-and-coca-cola-sever-ties-with-plastics-industry-association-239706">Pepsi and Coca Cola sever ties with Plastics Industry Association</a>&nbsp; 
 
According to American media reports, both the companies are trying to ensure that their packaging is recyclable.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/s-jaishankar-likely-to-meet-mike-pompeo-in-bangkok-239751">Foreign minister S Jaishankar likely to meet Mike Pompeo in Bangkok</a> 
 
Jaishankar-Pompeo pull aside will be the first high-level engagement between US and India since President Donald Trump's remarks on Kashmir.&nbsp; 
&nbsp;

Saudi-led forces, Israel among states rapped by United Nations for killing children The UN report said the Houthis killed and injured 398 children and Yemeni government forces were responsible for 58 child casualties.

Saudi-led forces, Israel among states rapped by United Nations for killing children The UN report said the Houthis killed and injured 398 children and Yemeni government forces were responsible for 58 child casualties. India takes up killing of Indian civilian in ceasefire violation by Pakistan Rahme Begum, resident of Dassi Baktoor, died after shelling by Pakistani army in Gurez sector of North Kashmir. Iran to cut nuke deal commitments if Europe doesn't protect from US sanctions Iran has said it will reduce its commitment to the nuclear accord in stages and may even withdraw from the pact unless the Europeans find ways to shield its economy from the US sanctions. Pepsi and Coca Cola sever ties with Plastics Industry Association According to American media reports, both the companies are trying to ensure that their packaging is recyclable. Foreign minister S Jaishankar likely to meet Mike Pompeo in Bangkok Jaishankar-Pompeo pull aside will be the first high-level engagement between US and India since President Donald Trump's remarks on Kashmir.

News brief: Big stories of the day

On Wednesday, <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/north-korea-fires-short-range-ballistic-missiles-south-korean-military-239597">North Korea</a> fired two, <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/ahead-of-south-korea-us-military-drill-north-korea-fires-two-short-range-ballistic-missiles-239579">new short-range ballistic missiles</a>. The latest launches were from Wonsan area on North Korea’s east coast - the same area from where the missiles were fired last week.&nbsp;

The missile tests also come amid North Korea showcasing a new submarine last week which is capable of carrying up to three ballistic missiles.

South Korea says that North Korea fired ballistic missiles that flew about 250 kilometres and that they appeared to be similar to those launched last week.

Dubbed the KN-23, the missiles are designed to evade missile defence systems by being easier to hide, launch, and manoeuvre in flight.&nbsp;

Watch Video:

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/north-korea-missile-tests-are-warning-to-south-korea-238647/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

The two KN-23s launched last week were reported as having a “low-altitude gliding and leaping flight” pattern that would make them hard to intercept.

Some analysts said that the range and the altitude of Wednesday’s flights could indicate a test of those capabilities.&nbsp;

Why missile tests?

The answer is not far to seek. North Korea does not want the United States and South Korea to conduct joint military drills planned for August. The country is also upset by South Korea buying F-35 fighter jets from the US.

&nbsp;July 25 missile tests

The missiles launched on July 25 were North Korea's first missile tests since Kim Jong-Un and Donald Trump met on June 30 and agreed to revive stalled denuclearisation talks.

The missile tests are intended to pressure South Korea and the United States to stop upcoming military drills.

South Korea has bought US-manufactured F-35 stealth fighter jets. It took delivery of its first two F-35 jets in March with more slated to arrive this year.

It has agreed to buy a total of 40 of the advanced aircraft, the last to be delivered by 2021.

Destroy US-manufactured weapons!

North Korean state media said on July 11 that Pyongyang must develop and test “special armaments” to destroy the new US-manufactured weapons.

“There is no room for doubt that the delivery of ‘F-35a’, which is also called an ‘invisible lethal weapon’, is aimed at securing military supremacy over the neighbouring countries in the region and especially opening a ‘gate’ to invading the north in time of emergency on the korean peninsula,” read a statement published by North Korean state news agency KCNA.

'No other choice'

North Korea stated that Pyongyang has no other choice but to develop and test the special armaments to completely destroy the lethal weapons reinforced in South Korea.

US playing down launches

US President Donald Trump and his foreign minister Mike Pompeo had played down last week’s launches.

Pompeo has continued to express hope for a diplomatic way forward with North Korea. For his part, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said there was no impact from Wednesday’s launch on Japan’s security.

The missile tests came on a day when Pompeo met ASEAN leaders in Thailand's capital Bangkok.&nbsp;

Trump and Kim last met on June 30 in the Demilitarised Zone (DMZ) between the two Koreas.

Breach of promise

Since then, Pyongyang has accused Washington of breaking a promise by planning to hold joint military exercises with South Korea next month and warned those drills could derail talks.&nbsp;

North Korea has also warned of a possible end to its freeze on nuclear and long-range missile tests that has been in place since 2017. Trump has repeatedly upheld this as evidence of the success of his engagement with Kim.&nbsp;

The February summit between Trump and Kim in Vietnam had collapsed after the leaders failed to reconcile differences between Washington’s demands for Pyongyang’s complete denuclearisation and North Korean demands for sanctions relief.

On Wednesday, North Korea fired two, new short-range ballistic missiles. The latest launches were from Wonsan area on North Korea’s east coast - the same area from where the missiles were fired last week.

On Wednesday, North Korea fired two, new short-range ballistic missiles. The latest launches were from Wonsan area on North Korea’s east coast - the same area from where the missiles were fired last week. The missile tests also come amid North Korea showcasing a new submarine last week which is capable of carrying up to three ballistic missiles. South Korea says that North Korea fired ballistic missiles that flew about 250 kilometres and that they appeared to be similar to those launched last week. Dubbed the KN-23, the missiles are designed to evade missile defence systems by being easier to hide, launch, and manoeuvre in flight. Watch Video: The two KN-23s launched last week were reported as having a “low-altitude gliding and leaping flight” pattern that would make them hard to intercept. Some analysts said that the range and the altitude of Wednesday’s flights could indicate a test of those capabilities. Why missile tests? The answer is not far to seek. North Korea does not want the United States and South Korea to conduct joint military drills planned for August. The country is also upset by South Korea buying F-35 fighter jets from the US. July 25 missile tests The missiles launched on July 25 were North Korea's first missile tests since Kim Jong-Un and Donald Trump met on June 30 and agreed to revive stalled denuclearisation talks. The missile tests are intended to pressure South Korea and the United States to stop upcoming military drills. South Korea has bought US-manufactured F-35 stealth fighter jets. It took delivery of its first two F-35 jets in March with more slated to arrive this year. It has agreed to buy a total of 40 of the advanced aircraft, the last to be delivered by 2021. Destroy US-manufactured weapons! North Korean state media said on July 11 that Pyongyang must develop and test “special armaments” to destroy the new US-manufactured weapons. “There is no room for doubt that the delivery of ‘F-35a’, which is also called an ‘invisible lethal weapon’, is aimed at securing military supremacy over the neighbouring countries in the region and especially opening a ‘gate’ to invading the north in time of emergency on the korean peninsula,” read a statement published by North Korean state news agency KCNA. 'No other choice' North Korea stated that Pyongyang has no other choice but to develop and test the special armaments to completely destroy the lethal weapons reinforced in South Korea. US playing down launches US President Donald Trump and his foreign minister Mike Pompeo had played down last week’s launches. Pompeo has continued to express hope for a diplomatic way forward with North Korea. For his part, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said there was no impact from Wednesday’s launch on Japan’s security. The missile tests came on a day when Pompeo met ASEAN leaders in Thailand's capital Bangkok. Trump and Kim last met on June 30 in the Demilitarised Zone (DMZ) between the two Koreas. Breach of promise Since then, Pyongyang has accused Washington of breaking a promise by planning to hold joint military exercises with South Korea next month and warned those drills could derail talks. North Korea has also warned of a possible end to its freeze on nuclear and long-range missile tests that has been in place since 2017. Trump has repeatedly upheld this as evidence of the success of his engagement with Kim. The February summit between Trump and Kim in Vietnam had collapsed after the leaders failed to reconcile differences between Washington’s demands for Pyongyang’s complete denuclearisation and North Korean demands for sanctions relief.

Why is North Korea conducting missile tests?

A man from Kerala, who joined the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/american-islamic-state-sniper-charged-in-new-york-justice-department-237202">Islamic State (ISIS)</a> in October 2017, reportedly died in an American drone strike in <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/islamic-state-in-afghanistan-aspires-to-attack-us-marine-general-frank-mckenzie-226736">Afghanistan</a> on July 18.

According to sources, Muhammad Muhasin, a resident of Edappal town in Malappuram district in Kerala died along with Huzaifa-al-Bakistani, a key commander of the Islamic State in the Khorosan province of Afghanistan.

Bakistani was a highly trained Pakistani terrorist, who radicalised several Indian youths.

The news of Muhammad Muhasin`s death was communicated to his family in Kerala via a WhatsApp message from an unidentified number from Afghanistan.

The text in the Malayalam language said, "Your brother was seeking martyrdom. Allah has fulfilled his wish as per his aspiration. He was martyred 10 days ago in a drone attack by the American forces".

"Please do not reveal this to the police, otherwise they will come to your home and start bothering you. Your brother doesn`t want this", the message read.

Several people from the state, both men and women, have joined ISIS over the last few years. According to government data, accessed by ANI, the majority of people who have joined ISIS from Kerala are from the Kannur city of the state.

As on June 15, nearly 40 people including eight women, from Kannur, have joined the ISIS.

The data further reveals that over the last few years 98 people from Kerala joined the Islamic State, out of which 38 were killed and 60 are still alive and fighting for the terrorist organisation.

Besides Kannur, some misguided people from Kasaragod, Kozhikode, Malappuram, Palakkad, Eranakulam and Thrissur have joined ISIS.

A majority of them were influenced by ISIS through social media. According to sources, most of the pro-ISIS accounts of Malayalee groups are operated from the Gulf countries.&nbsp;

These groups specifically target Muslims from Kerala. The ISIS, which has made inroads in southern India, could potentially extend support to several radical groups like it did in Sri Lanka.

A man from Kerala, who joined the Islamic State (ISIS) in October 2017, reportedly died in an American drone strike in Afghanistan on July 18. According to sources, Muhammad Muhasin, a resident of Edappal town in Malappuram district in Kerala died along with Huzaifa-al-Bakistani, a key commander of the Islamic State in the Khorosan province of Afghanistan.

A man from Kerala, who joined the Islamic State (ISIS) in October 2017, reportedly died in an American drone strike in Afghanistan on July 18. According to sources, Muhammad Muhasin, a resident of Edappal town in Malappuram district in Kerala died along with Huzaifa-al-Bakistani, a key commander of the Islamic State in the Khorosan province of Afghanistan. Bakistani was a highly trained Pakistani terrorist, who radicalised several Indian youths. The news of Muhammad Muhasin`s death was communicated to his family in Kerala via a WhatsApp message from an unidentified number from Afghanistan. The text in the Malayalam language said, "Your brother was seeking martyrdom. Allah has fulfilled his wish as per his aspiration. He was martyred 10 days ago in a drone attack by the American forces". "Please do not reveal this to the police, otherwise they will come to your home and start bothering you. Your brother doesn`t want this", the message read. Several people from the state, both men and women, have joined ISIS over the last few years. According to government data, accessed by ANI, the majority of people who have joined ISIS from Kerala are from the Kannur city of the state. As on June 15, nearly 40 people including eight women, from Kannur, have joined the ISIS. The data further reveals that over the last few years 98 people from Kerala joined the Islamic State, out of which 38 were killed and 60 are still alive and fighting for the terrorist organisation. Besides Kannur, some misguided people from Kasaragod, Kozhikode, Malappuram, Palakkad, Eranakulam and Thrissur have joined ISIS. A majority of them were influenced by ISIS through social media. According to sources, most of the pro-ISIS accounts of Malayalee groups are operated from the Gulf countries. These groups specifically target Muslims from Kerala. The ISIS, which has made inroads in southern India, could potentially extend support to several radical groups like it did in Sri Lanka.

Kerala man, who joined ISIS, dies in US drone strike in Afghanistan

Democratic presidential front-runner Joe Biden and rival Kamala Harris will stage a rematch of last month's explosive debate confrontation during Round 2 on Wednesday, with a re-energized Biden promising a more aggressive approach.

On the second of back-to-back nights of Democratic debates, Biden will be flanked at center stage by Harris and Cory Booker, US&nbsp;senators who are the most prominent black contenders in a Democratic nominating contest in which race has played a prominent role.

Seven other candidates, including former US&nbsp;Housing Secretary Julian Castro, Washington Governor Jay Inslee and US&nbsp;Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, will join them on stage in Detroit in search of a breakout moment that will generate new momentum for their campaigns.

On Tuesday night, Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren repeatedly defended their progressive proposals under heavy fire from more moderate rivals who argued their plans to provide universal healthcare, fight climate change and decriminalize illegal border crossings would hurt Democrats at the polls next year.

The crowded field of about two dozen candidates has been vying for attention and financial support in the Democratic race to pick a challenger to Republican President Donald Trump in the November 2020 election.

Biden did not figure prominently on the first night of the debate but is likely to be the focus of the second.

The former vice president has engaged for weeks in an escalating fight with Harris and Booker for the support of black voters, a vital constituency in the Democratic nominating battle.

Biden admitted he was taken by surprise last month when Harris criticized him for opposing federally mandated busing for school integration in the 1970s and for working with segregationists while serving in the US&nbsp;Senate decades ago.

The sharp attack gave Harris a bump in the polls, and Biden's feeble response led to a dip in his standing. He has recovered in some recent polls and still maintains a firm grip on first place, helped by strong support from black voters.

Booker, who was not on stage with Biden at the last debate, has stepped up his attacks. He called Biden "the architect of mass incarceration" during the NAACP convention in Detroit last week, a reference to Biden's work as a senator on the 1994 crime bill, which critics say led to the disproportionate imprisonment of African-American men.

Biden and his campaign fired back, sharply criticizing Booker's tenure as mayor of Newark, New Jersey, where he led a police department that became embroiled in a federal civil rights investigation.

'Fantasy world'

Biden has also taken swipes at Harris, calling her promise she could institute her version of a Medicare for All health insurance plan without a middle-class tax hike "a fantasy world."

The debate lineup will create a stark visual contrast between Biden, a white 76-year-old, and his younger rivals Harris, 54, and Booker, 50, potentially making Biden look out of step in a party increasingly driven by the grassroots energy of younger and more diverse activists.

Biden, who could face intensifying questions about his age and front-runner status with another poor debate performance, promises to take the fight to Harris and Booker this time.

"I got a past I'm proud of. They got a past that's not quite so good," said Biden, who refers frequently to his eight years as No. 2 to the first black US&nbsp;president, Barack Obama.

The debates come about six months before Iowa holds the first nominating contest, and the two nights in Detroit could be the last chance for many of the lower-tier contenders to make an appearance on the national debate stage.

The Democratic National Committee will double its fundraising and polling requirements to qualify for the next debates in September and October, leaving out more candidates and raising questions about their ability to continue their campaigns. So far, only about a third of the field has met the qualifications.

Castro, who also served as mayor of San Antonio, got a slight bump in polls and fundraising after an aggressive performance in the first debate. He will be under pressure to do it again if he hopes to claw into the upper tier.

Gillibrand, Inslee and the other participants on Wednesday will simply be on a desperate quest to get recognized.

The other candidates on stage for the second night will be US&nbsp;Senator Michael Bennet, US&nbsp;Representative Tulsi Gabbard, entrepreneur Andrew Yang and New York Mayor Bill de Blasio.

Democratic presidential front-runner Joe Biden and rival Kamala Harris will stage a rematch of last month's explosive debate confrontation during Round 2 on Wednesday, with a re-energized Biden promising a more aggressive approach.

Democratic presidential front-runner Joe Biden and rival Kamala Harris will stage a rematch of last month's explosive debate confrontation during Round 2 on Wednesday, with a re-energized Biden promising a more aggressive approach. On the second of back-to-back nights of Democratic debates, Biden will be flanked at center stage by Harris and Cory Booker, US senators who are the most prominent black contenders in a Democratic nominating contest in which race has played a prominent role. Seven other candidates, including former US Housing Secretary Julian Castro, Washington Governor Jay Inslee and US Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, will join them on stage in Detroit in search of a breakout moment that will generate new momentum for their campaigns. On Tuesday night, Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren repeatedly defended their progressive proposals under heavy fire from more moderate rivals who argued their plans to provide universal healthcare, fight climate change and decriminalize illegal border crossings would hurt Democrats at the polls next year. The crowded field of about two dozen candidates has been vying for attention and financial support in the Democratic race to pick a challenger to Republican President Donald Trump in the November 2020 election. Biden did not figure prominently on the first night of the debate but is likely to be the focus of the second. The former vice president has engaged for weeks in an escalating fight with Harris and Booker for the support of black voters, a vital constituency in the Democratic nominating battle. Biden admitted he was taken by surprise last month when Harris criticized him for opposing federally mandated busing for school integration in the 1970s and for working with segregationists while serving in the US Senate decades ago. The sharp attack gave Harris a bump in the polls, and Biden's feeble response led to a dip in his standing. He has recovered in some recent polls and still maintains a firm grip on first place, helped by strong support from black voters. Booker, who was not on stage with Biden at the last debate, has stepped up his attacks. He called Biden "the architect of mass incarceration" during the NAACP convention in Detroit last week, a reference to Biden's work as a senator on the 1994 crime bill, which critics say led to the disproportionate imprisonment of African-American men. Biden and his campaign fired back, sharply criticizing Booker's tenure as mayor of Newark, New Jersey, where he led a police department that became embroiled in a federal civil rights investigation. 'Fantasy world' Biden has also taken swipes at Harris, calling her promise she could institute her version of a Medicare for All health insurance plan without a middle-class tax hike "a fantasy world." The debate lineup will create a stark visual contrast between Biden, a white 76-year-old, and his younger rivals Harris, 54, and Booker, 50, potentially making Biden look out of step in a party increasingly driven by the grassroots energy of younger and more diverse activists. Biden, who could face intensifying questions about his age and front-runner status with another poor debate performance, promises to take the fight to Harris and Booker this time. "I got a past I'm proud of. They got a past that's not quite so good," said Biden, who refers frequently to his eight years as No. 2 to the first black US president, Barack Obama. The debates come about six months before Iowa holds the first nominating contest, and the two nights in Detroit could be the last chance for many of the lower-tier contenders to make an appearance on the national debate stage. The Democratic National Committee will double its fundraising and polling requirements to qualify for the next debates in September and October, leaving out more candidates and raising questions about their ability to continue their campaigns. So far, only about a third of the field has met the qualifications. Castro, who also served as mayor of San Antonio, got a slight bump in polls and fundraising after an aggressive performance in the first debate. He will be under pressure to do it again if he hopes to claw into the upper tier. Gillibrand, Inslee and the other participants on Wednesday will simply be on a desperate quest to get recognized. The other candidates on stage for the second night will be US Senator Michael Bennet, US Representative Tulsi Gabbard, entrepreneur Andrew Yang and New York Mayor Bill de Blasio.

Biden and Harris to square off in Round-2 of Democratic presidential debate

Iran is set to further cut its commitments to its international nuclear deal unless its European partners move to <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-to-renew-sanctions-waivers-for-five-iran-nuclear-programs-report-239595">protect it from US sanctions</a> by ensuring it can sell oil and receive income, its foreign minister said on Wednesday.

"Under the current circumstances and until the necessary measures are taken (by the Europeans), the Republic of Iran will absolutely implement the third step (in cutting commitments)," Mohammad Javad Zarif said, adding that its European partners should guarantee Iran could sell its oil and collect the revenue.

Iran has said it will reduce its commitment to the nuclear accord in stages and may even withdraw from the pact unless the Europeans find ways to shield its economy from the US sanctions.

Meanwhile, the commander of a British warship accompanying UK-flagged ships through the Strait of Hormuz amid heightened tensions with Iran said Wednesday that <a href="http://wionews.com/world/uk-warship-commander-says-iran-trying-to-test-britain-in-gulf-239693">Tehran appeared to be testing the Royal Navy's resolve</a>.

William King, commander of HMS Montrose, said during 27 days patrolling the flashpoint entrance to the Gulf he had had 85 "interactions with Iranian forces", which had often led to "an exchange of warnings" over the radio.

"That gives you some idea of the intensity... (it) is perhaps more than we've seen of recent times," he told BBC Radio in a phone interview from aboard the frigate.

"The Iranians seem to be keen to test our resolve, test our reactions most of the time," King added.

"They'll claim that perhaps our presence is illegitimate, even though we're completely lawfully in international waters.

"They may also run boats in at speed towards us, to test what warning levels we get to."

Iran is set to further cut its commitments to its international nuclear deal unless its European partners move to protect it from US sanctions by ensuring it can sell oil and receive income, its foreign minister said on Wednesday.

Iran is set to further cut its commitments to its international nuclear deal unless its European partners move to protect it from US sanctions by ensuring it can sell oil and receive income, its foreign minister said on Wednesday. "Under the current circumstances and until the necessary measures are taken (by the Europeans), the Republic of Iran will absolutely implement the third step (in cutting commitments)," Mohammad Javad Zarif said, adding that its European partners should guarantee Iran could sell its oil and collect the revenue. Iran has said it will reduce its commitment to the nuclear accord in stages and may even withdraw from the pact unless the Europeans find ways to shield its economy from the US sanctions. Meanwhile, the commander of a British warship accompanying UK-flagged ships through the Strait of Hormuz amid heightened tensions with Iran said Wednesday that Tehran appeared to be testing the Royal Navy's resolve. William King, commander of HMS Montrose, said during 27 days patrolling the flashpoint entrance to the Gulf he had had 85 "interactions with Iranian forces", which had often led to "an exchange of warnings" over the radio. "That gives you some idea of the intensity... (it) is perhaps more than we've seen of recent times," he told BBC Radio in a phone interview from aboard the frigate. "The Iranians seem to be keen to test our resolve, test our reactions most of the time," King added. "They'll claim that perhaps our presence is illegitimate, even though we're completely lawfully in international waters. "They may also run boats in at speed towards us, to test what warning levels we get to."

Will reduce more nuclear deal commitments unless Europe protects Iran from US sanctions: Javad Zarif

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/business-&amp;-economy/gold-prices-rise-to-one-week-high-as-softer-us-dollar-supports-buying-148880">Gold prices</a> held steady on Wednesday as investors waited on the outcome of the Federal Reserve`s meeting later in the day when policymakers are expected to cut interest rates for the first time since the financial crisis.

Spot gold was flat at $1,430.69 per ounce as of 0723 GMT.

US gold futures edged 0.1 per cent higher to $1,443.60 an ounce. "Most of the people are staying on the sidelines due to the Fed meeting. If the Fed does reduce rates, gold may come down a little as a 25 basis point cut is already priced-in," said Brian Lan, managing director at dealer GoldSilver Central in Singapore.

"We are also looking at whether there will be further rate cuts. Over the longer term, we are still bullish on gold but in the short-term, we might see a bit of correction before it continues to move higher," Lan added.

Fed funds rate futures are now fully pricing in a 25 basis point rate cut on Wednesday and another 25 basis point reduction by September.

Markets will be watching out for guidance on whether the Federal Open Market Committee`s expected move is a one-time cut or the beginning of a rate-cutting cycle.

Cementing expectations of Fed rate cuts, US consumer spending and prices rose moderately in June, pointing to slower economic growth and benign inflation.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/donald-trump-tears-into-china-on-twitter-as-trade-talks-resume-239492">US President Donald Trump</a>, meanwhile, reiterated his call for the Fed to make a large interest rate cut, saying he was disappointed in the US&nbsp;

The central bank and that it had put him at a disadvantage by not acting sooner.

"Gold will look for direction in the tone of the Fed Chief`s rhetoric. More dovish could lead to a weaker dollar and a higher price for gold," <a href="https://www.wionews.com/business-economy/crude-oil-prices-fall-1-on-fears-for-global-economy-233148">Alfonso Esparza</a>, a senior market analyst at OANDA, said in a note.

The dollar index was relatively unchanged against a basket of major currencies on Wednesday after hitting a two-month high in the previous session.

In financial markets, fresh trade concerns following threats by Trump to Beijing sent Asian shares to a six-week trough on Wednesday.&nbsp;

Trump warned China against waiting out his presidency before finalising a trade deal, saying if he wins re-election in November 2020, the outcome could be no agreement or a harsher one.

On the technical front, Reuters technical analyst Wang Tao said a bullish target at $1,452 per ounce has been established for spot gold, as it has pierced above resistance at $1,427.

Among other precious metals, silver slipped 0.7 per cent to $16.46 per ounce.

Platinum jumped 1.2 per cent to $876.11 an ounce and palladium rose 1 per cent to $1,529.20.

Gold prices held steady on Wednesday as investors waited on the outcome of the Federal Reserve`s meeting later in the day when policymakers are expected to cut interest rates for the first time since the financial crisis.

Gold prices held steady on Wednesday as investors waited on the outcome of the Federal Reserve`s meeting later in the day when policymakers are expected to cut interest rates for the first time since the financial crisis. Spot gold was flat at $1,430.69 per ounce as of 0723 GMT. US gold futures edged 0.1 per cent higher to $1,443.60 an ounce. "Most of the people are staying on the sidelines due to the Fed meeting. If the Fed does reduce rates, gold may come down a little as a 25 basis point cut is already priced-in," said Brian Lan, managing director at dealer GoldSilver Central in Singapore. "We are also looking at whether there will be further rate cuts. Over the longer term, we are still bullish on gold but in the short-term, we might see a bit of correction before it continues to move higher," Lan added. Fed funds rate futures are now fully pricing in a 25 basis point rate cut on Wednesday and another 25 basis point reduction by September. Markets will be watching out for guidance on whether the Federal Open Market Committee`s expected move is a one-time cut or the beginning of a rate-cutting cycle. Cementing expectations of Fed rate cuts, US consumer spending and prices rose moderately in June, pointing to slower economic growth and benign inflation. US President Donald Trump, meanwhile, reiterated his call for the Fed to make a large interest rate cut, saying he was disappointed in the US The central bank and that it had put him at a disadvantage by not acting sooner. "Gold will look for direction in the tone of the Fed Chief`s rhetoric. More dovish could lead to a weaker dollar and a higher price for gold," Alfonso Esparza, a senior market analyst at OANDA, said in a note. The dollar index was relatively unchanged against a basket of major currencies on Wednesday after hitting a two-month high in the previous session. In financial markets, fresh trade concerns following threats by Trump to Beijing sent Asian shares to a six-week trough on Wednesday. Trump warned China against waiting out his presidency before finalising a trade deal, saying if he wins re-election in November 2020, the outcome could be no agreement or a harsher one. On the technical front, Reuters technical analyst Wang Tao said a bullish target at $1,452 per ounce has been established for spot gold, as it has pierced above resistance at $1,427. Among other precious metals, silver slipped 0.7 per cent to $16.46 per ounce. Platinum jumped 1.2 per cent to $876.11 an ounce and palladium rose 1 per cent to $1,529.20.

Gold prices hold steady ahead of Fed verdict

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/nicolas-maduro-meets-european-unions-special-envoy-in-caracas-ahead-of-opposition-talks-234668">Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro</a> on Tuesday honoured American protesters who had occupied the country's embassy in Washington for weeks in support of the beleaguered leader before being evicted by US authorities.

Venezuela broke off relations with Washington after <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/donald-trump-tears-into-china-on-twitter-as-trade-talks-resume-239492">President Donald Trump</a> said he recognised opposition politician Juan Guaido as acting president one of around 50 countries to acknowledge the 36-year-old as leader of the crisis-hit nation.

Several left-wing and pacifist activists protesting Guaido's bid to remove Maduro from power occupied the Venezuelan embassy in Washington in April, aiming to block the entry of his delegation to the embassy before US police evicted them the following month.

On Tuesday, Maduro awarded the American squatters a replica of the sword used by Venezuela's founding father Simon Bolivar.

"I want to give it to you as a show of deep gratitude," he said.

The Venezuelan government had condemned the eviction of the activists and accused the US government of violating international law.&nbsp;

For more than a month, an unclear number of Americans belonging to a group calling itself the Embassy Protection Collective lived in the diplomatic mission, with the consent of the Maduro government.

A group of Venezuelan residents of Washington meanwhile camped outside the building to protest against the squatters and prevent any supplies from being delivered to them inside.

Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro on Tuesday honoured American protesters who had occupied the country's embassy in Washington for weeks in support of the beleaguered leader before being evicted by US authorities.

Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro on Tuesday honoured American protesters who had occupied the country's embassy in Washington for weeks in support of the beleaguered leader before being evicted by US authorities. Venezuela broke off relations with Washington after President Donald Trump said he recognised opposition politician Juan Guaido as acting president one of around 50 countries to acknowledge the 36-year-old as leader of the crisis-hit nation. Several left-wing and pacifist activists protesting Guaido's bid to remove Maduro from power occupied the Venezuelan embassy in Washington in April, aiming to block the entry of his delegation to the embassy before US police evicted them the following month. On Tuesday, Maduro awarded the American squatters a replica of the sword used by Venezuela's founding father Simon Bolivar. "I want to give it to you as a show of deep gratitude," he said. The Venezuelan government had condemned the eviction of the activists and accused the US government of violating international law. For more than a month, an unclear number of Americans belonging to a group calling itself the Embassy Protection Collective lived in the diplomatic mission, with the consent of the Maduro government. A group of Venezuelan residents of Washington meanwhile camped outside the building to protest against the squatters and prevent any supplies from being delivered to them inside.

Maduro honors Americans evicted from Venezuelan embassy in US

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/business-economy/want-to-make-high-end-computers-in-us-need-tariff-relief-apple-ceo-tim-cook-239585">Apple Inc iPhone</a> sales dropped to less than half of quarterly revenue for the first time in seven years, but CEO Tim Cook on Tuesday described the change as successfully diversifying away from a single product and forecast results above Wall Street targets.

That strategy proved especially useful in China, the world's largest smartphone market. Investors feared a drumbeat of negative shipment data from the Chinese government and analysts meant problems for the iPhone maker.

Apple's greater China sales, which had gone into a near free-fall earlier this year, dipped only slightly, assuaging concerns that trade tension was undermining Apple's standing in one of its most important markets. Shares rose 4.25 per cent after hours.

Moribund global mobile phone sales have led Apple to focus on accessories like the Apple Watch and growth in music, apps, gaming, video and a credit card coming in August. In mainland China, Cook said the overall number of Apple device users had grown in the fiscal third quarter, helping to increase the market for its services, whose sales were up by more than 10 per cent there.

"We grew in mainland China," Cook told Reuters. "Non-iPhone revenue grew 17 per cent. We grew in every category outside of iPhone."

But globally, iPhone sales fell 12 per cent to $25.99 billion, after dropping 17 per cent in the previous quarter, and matched Wall Street targets.&nbsp;

&nbsp;Wearables and other accessories revenue rose nearly 50 per cent, topping expectations.

Services revenue rose 12.6 per cent to $11.46 billion, slowing and slightly missing expectations but setting a new record.

Apple said it expects revenue for the current fiscal fourth quarter of between $61 billion and $64 billion, compared with analyst estimates of $61.02 billion.&nbsp;

At the high end of Apple's forecasted range, sales would beat the prior year's $62.90 billion in sales, even though analysts expected continued lacklustre iPhone sales until 5G models arrive in 2020.

For the fiscal third quarter ended in June, Apple reported a 1 per cent rise in revenue to $53.8 billion and a 7 per cent drop in earnings per share to $2.18, compared with expectations of $53.39 billion and $2.10 per share, according to Refinitiv data.

Hal Eddins, a chief economist for Apple shareholder Capital Investment Counsel, said he was pleasantly surprised to see iPhone sales declines slow down versus the prior quarter.

"You don’t hear people talk about their phones like they did several years ago," Eddins said. But, "the key is that when people want to splurge on a phone, they do it with an Apple product."

Apple did not give the number of active <a href="https://www.wionews.com/business-economy/apples-india-made-top-end-iphones-to-hit-stores-next-month-source-235135">Apple devices</a>, but in January it said it was 1.4 billion, with 900 million of those being iPhones. Investors used the number, called the installed base, as a proxy for how many subscribers it can gain for its services business.&nbsp;

Cook told investors on a conference call Tuesday that Apple has 420 million paid subscribers to its services and third-party apps. The company has set a goal of 500 million by 2020.

Trip Miller, the managing partner at Apple shareholder Gullane Capital Partners, said he wants to see services growth return to the 20 per cent range and thinks Apple needs to use its billions in cash to buy media properties to fuel its forthcoming television service.

"You have to have a bigger installed base and have services that people get value from," Miller said.

Trade tension still looms large

Apple reported results as US and Chinese trade negotiators resumed off-and-on talks. The US President Donald Trump has suspended new tariffs on a final $300 billion of Chinese imports, which would include iPhones.

Trade tension has slowed down economic growth in China, a major market for Apple, which effectively cut iPhone prices in China earlier this year after currency exchange rates had made its phones too expensive for many Chinese consumers.

Apple's market share in China declined to 5.8 per cent from 6.4 per cent, according to market research firm Canalys, in part because smartphone rival Huawei Technologies Co Ltd gained market share to become the top handset seller in the country.

But Apple experienced a smaller market share less than competitors such as Xiaomi Corp, Oppo and Vivo, according to Canalys data. Cook said that iPhone price adjustments, plus the Chinese government's move to cut phone taxes, helped keep iPhone sales in China from eroding further.

"Our trade-in and financing programs are doing extremely well in China," Cook told Reuters. "Because of the active installed base is growing in China, our services business is doing very well, growing double digits."

Apple shares have gained more than 20 per cent since early June when shares dropped on news that the US Department of Justice had jurisdiction over the company in a potential probe as part of a broader review of whether technology giants engage in anticompetitive practices.

Apple said revenue for its "Wearables, home and accessories" segment that contains devices like the Apple Watch and AirPods was $5.53 billion, compared with analyst estimates of $4.81 billion.

Apple said it returned more than $21 billion to shareholders during the fiscal third quarter, including $17 billion in share repurchases. It declared a dividend of 77 cents per share.

Apple Inc iPhone sales dropped to less than half of quarterly revenue for the first time in seven years, but CEO Tim Cook on Tuesday described the change as successfully diversifying away from a single product and forecast results above Wall Street targets.

Apple Inc iPhone sales dropped to less than half of quarterly revenue for the first time in seven years, but CEO Tim Cook on Tuesday described the change as successfully diversifying away from a single product and forecast results above Wall Street targets. That strategy proved especially useful in China, the world's largest smartphone market. Investors feared a drumbeat of negative shipment data from the Chinese government and analysts meant problems for the iPhone maker. Apple's greater China sales, which had gone into a near free-fall earlier this year, dipped only slightly, assuaging concerns that trade tension was undermining Apple's standing in one of its most important markets. Shares rose 4.25 per cent after hours. Moribund global mobile phone sales have led Apple to focus on accessories like the Apple Watch and growth in music, apps, gaming, video and a credit card coming in August. In mainland China, Cook said the overall number of Apple device users had grown in the fiscal third quarter, helping to increase the market for its services, whose sales were up by more than 10 per cent there. "We grew in mainland China," Cook told Reuters. "Non-iPhone revenue grew 17 per cent. We grew in every category outside of iPhone." But globally, iPhone sales fell 12 per cent to $25.99 billion, after dropping 17 per cent in the previous quarter, and matched Wall Street targets. Wearables and other accessories revenue rose nearly 50 per cent, topping expectations. Services revenue rose 12.6 per cent to $11.46 billion, slowing and slightly missing expectations but setting a new record. Apple said it expects revenue for the current fiscal fourth quarter of between $61 billion and $64 billion, compared with analyst estimates of $61.02 billion. At the high end of Apple's forecasted range, sales would beat the prior year's $62.90 billion in sales, even though analysts expected continued lacklustre iPhone sales until 5G models arrive in 2020. For the fiscal third quarter ended in June, Apple reported a 1 per cent rise in revenue to $53.8 billion and a 7 per cent drop in earnings per share to $2.18, compared with expectations of $53.39 billion and $2.10 per share, according to Refinitiv data. Hal Eddins, a chief economist for Apple shareholder Capital Investment Counsel, said he was pleasantly surprised to see iPhone sales declines slow down versus the prior quarter. "You don’t hear people talk about their phones like they did several years ago," Eddins said. But, "the key is that when people want to splurge on a phone, they do it with an Apple product." Apple did not give the number of active Apple devices, but in January it said it was 1.4 billion, with 900 million of those being iPhones. Investors used the number, called the installed base, as a proxy for how many subscribers it can gain for its services business. Cook told investors on a conference call Tuesday that Apple has 420 million paid subscribers to its services and third-party apps. The company has set a goal of 500 million by 2020. Trip Miller, the managing partner at Apple shareholder Gullane Capital Partners, said he wants to see services growth return to the 20 per cent range and thinks Apple needs to use its billions in cash to buy media properties to fuel its forthcoming television service. "You have to have a bigger installed base and have services that people get value from," Miller said. Trade tension still looms large Apple reported results as US and Chinese trade negotiators resumed off-and-on talks. The US President Donald Trump has suspended new tariffs on a final $300 billion of Chinese imports, which would include iPhones. Trade tension has slowed down economic growth in China, a major market for Apple, which effectively cut iPhone prices in China earlier this year after currency exchange rates had made its phones too expensive for many Chinese consumers. Apple's market share in China declined to 5.8 per cent from 6.4 per cent, according to market research firm Canalys, in part because smartphone rival Huawei Technologies Co Ltd gained market share to become the top handset seller in the country. But Apple experienced a smaller market share less than competitors such as Xiaomi Corp, Oppo and Vivo, according to Canalys data. Cook said that iPhone price adjustments, plus the Chinese government's move to cut phone taxes, helped keep iPhone sales in China from eroding further. "Our trade-in and financing programs are doing extremely well in China," Cook told Reuters. "Because of the active installed base is growing in China, our services business is doing very well, growing double digits." Apple shares have gained more than 20 per cent since early June when shares dropped on news that the US Department of Justice had jurisdiction over the company in a potential probe as part of a broader review of whether technology giants engage in anticompetitive practices. Apple said revenue for its "Wearables, home and accessories" segment that contains devices like the Apple Watch and AirPods was $5.53 billion, compared with analyst estimates of $4.81 billion. Apple said it returned more than $21 billion to shareholders during the fiscal third quarter, including $17 billion in share repurchases. It declared a dividend of 77 cents per share.

Apple's services, wearables shore up results as iPhone drops below half of sales

China and Russia are as much allies as they are rivals.

A joint Tajik-Chinese military exercise in a Tajik region bordering on China’s troubled north-western region of Xinjiang suggests that increased Chinese-Russian military cooperation has not eroded gradually mounting rivalry in Central Asia, long viewed by Moscow as its backyard.

The exercise, the second in three years, coupled with the building by China of border guard posts and a training centre as well as the creation of a Chinese security facility along the 1,300 kilometre long Tajik Afghan Border, Chinese dominance of the Tajik economy, and the hand over of &nbsp;Tajik territory almost two decades ago, challenges Russian-Chinese arrangements in the region.

The informal arrangement involved a division of labour under which China would expand economically in Central Asia while Russia would guarantee the region’s security.

The exercise comes days after China and Russia operated their first joint air patrol and months after Tajik and Russian forces exercised jointly.

The “exercise represents a next step in China’s overall encroachment upon Russia’s self-proclaimed ‘sphere of influence’ in Central Asia,” said Russia expert Stephen Blank.

“Moscow has given remarkably little consideration to the possibility that China will build on its soft power in Central Asia to establish security relationships or even bases and thus accelerate the decline of Russian influence there,” added Eurasia scholar Paul Goble.

The perceived encroachment is but the latest sign that Russia is seeking to balance its determination to ally itself with China in trying to limit US power with the fact the Chinese and Russian interests may be diverging.

The limitations of Russian-Chinese cooperation have long been evident.

China, for example, has refrained from recognising Russian-inspired declarations of independence in 2008 of two regions of Georgia, Abkhazia and South Ossetia that recently sparked anti-government protests in Tbilisi.

China similarly abstained in a 2014 United Nations Security Council vote on a resolution that condemned Russia’s annexation of Crimea.

Meanwhile, Chinese dependence on Russian military technology is diminishing, potentially threatening a key Russian export market. China in 2017 rolled out its fifth-generation Chengdu J-20 fighter that is believed to be technologically superior to Russia SU-57E.

Perhaps most fundamentally, Chinese president Xi Jinping opted in 2013 to unveil his Belt and Road initiative in the Kazakh capital of Astana rather than Moscow.

By doing so and by so far refusing to invest in railroads and roads that would turn Russia into a transportation hub, Xi effectively relegated Russia to the status of second fiddle, at least as far as the Belt and Road’s core transportation infrastructure pillar is concerned.

China’s recently published latest defence white paper nonetheless praised the continued development of a “high level” military relationship with Russia that is “enriching the China-Russia comprehensive strategic partnership of coordination for a new era and playing a significant role in maintaining global strategic stability.”

In a bid to ensure Russia remains a key player on the international stage and exploit mounting tension in the Gulf, Russian deputy foreign minister and special representative to the Middle East and Africa Mikhail Bogdanov this week proposed a collective security concept that would replace the Gulf’s US defence umbrella and position Russia as a power broker alongside the United States.

The concept would entail the creation of a “counter-terrorism coalition of all stakeholders” that would be the motor for resolution of conflicts across the region and promote mutual security guarantees. It would involve the removal of the “permanent deployment of troops of extra-regional states in the territories of states of the Gulf,” a reference to US, British and French forces and bases.

Bogdanov’s proposal called for a “universal and comprehensive” security system that would take into account “the interests of all regional and other parties involved, in all spheres of security, including its military, economic and energy dimensions” and ensure the provision of humanitarian assistance.

The coalition to include the Gulf states, Russia, China, the US, the European Union and India as well as other stakeholders, a likely reference to Iran, would be launched at an international conference on security and cooperation in the Gulf.

It was not clear how feuding Gulf states like Qatar, Saudi Arabia, the United Arb Emirates and Iran would be persuaded to sit at one table. The proposal suggested that Russia’s advantage was that it maintained good relations with all parties.

“Russia’s contributions to the fight against &nbsp;Islamic terrorist networks and the liberation of parts of Syria and Iraq can be regarded as a kind of test for the role of sheriff in a Greater Eurasia” that would include the Middle East, said political scientist Dmitry Yefremenko.

Putin this week asserted himself as sheriff by signalling his support for embattled former Kyrgyz president Almazbek Atambayev, a Putin crony who has been charged with corruption. Following a meeting in Moscow, Putin urged Atembayev’s nemesis. President Sooronbai Jeenbekov, not to press charges.

At the same time, Putin, building on his visit to Kyrgyzstan in March, offered &nbsp;Jeenbekov a carrot.

Kyrgyzstan “needs political stability. Everybody needs to unite around the current president and to help him develop the state. We have many plans for cooperation with Kyrgyzstan and we are absolutely determined to work together with the current leadership to fulfill these plans,” Putin said.

Russia and Kyrgyzstan signed an agreement during the visit to expand by 60 hectares the Kant Air Base 20 kilometres east of the capital Bishkek that is used by the Russian Air Force and increase the rent Russia pays.

Putin further lavished his Kyrgyz hosts with $6 billion in deals ranging from power, mineral resources and hydrocarbons to industry and agriculture.

Putin also allocated $200 million for the upgrading of customs infrastructure and border equipment to put an end to the back-up of dozens of trucks on the Kazakh-Kyrgyz border because Kyrgyzstan has so far been unable to comply with the technical requirements of the Russia-led Eurasian Economic Union (EEU).

Uzbek president Shavkat Mirziyaev last month gave the EEU, that groups Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan Belarus, and Armenia, &nbsp;a boost by declaring that Uzbekistan would need to join the trade bloc to ensure access to its export markets.

EEU members account for 70 percent of Uzbek exports.

Said Russia and Eurasia scholar Paul Stronski: “China’s deft diplomacy towards Russia — along with both states’ desires to keep the West out of their common backyard — has kept tensions behind closed doors. But with China now recognising it may need to strengthen its security posture in the region, it is unclear how long this stability will last.” 
 
(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL) 
&nbsp;

China and Russia are as much allies as they are rivals. A joint Tajik-Chinese military exercise in a Tajik region bordering on China’s troubled north-western region of Xinjiang suggests that increased Chinese-Russian military cooperation has not eroded gradually mounting rivalry in Central Asia, long viewed by Moscow as its backyard.

China and Russia are as much allies as they are rivals. A joint Tajik-Chinese military exercise in a Tajik region bordering on China’s troubled north-western region of Xinjiang suggests that increased Chinese-Russian military cooperation has not eroded gradually mounting rivalry in Central Asia, long viewed by Moscow as its backyard. The exercise, the second in three years, coupled with the building by China of border guard posts and a training centre as well as the creation of a Chinese security facility along the 1,300 kilometre long Tajik Afghan Border, Chinese dominance of the Tajik economy, and the hand over of Tajik territory almost two decades ago, challenges Russian-Chinese arrangements in the region. The informal arrangement involved a division of labour under which China would expand economically in Central Asia while Russia would guarantee the region’s security. The exercise comes days after China and Russia operated their first joint air patrol and months after Tajik and Russian forces exercised jointly. The “exercise represents a next step in China’s overall encroachment upon Russia’s self-proclaimed ‘sphere of influence’ in Central Asia,” said Russia expert Stephen Blank. “Moscow has given remarkably little consideration to the possibility that China will build on its soft power in Central Asia to establish security relationships or even bases and thus accelerate the decline of Russian influence there,” added Eurasia scholar Paul Goble. The perceived encroachment is but the latest sign that Russia is seeking to balance its determination to ally itself with China in trying to limit US power with the fact the Chinese and Russian interests may be diverging. The limitations of Russian-Chinese cooperation have long been evident. China, for example, has refrained from recognising Russian-inspired declarations of independence in 2008 of two regions of Georgia, Abkhazia and South Ossetia that recently sparked anti-government protests in Tbilisi. China similarly abstained in a 2014 United Nations Security Council vote on a resolution that condemned Russia’s annexation of Crimea. Meanwhile, Chinese dependence on Russian military technology is diminishing, potentially threatening a key Russian export market. China in 2017 rolled out its fifth-generation Chengdu J-20 fighter that is believed to be technologically superior to Russia SU-57E. Perhaps most fundamentally, Chinese president Xi Jinping opted in 2013 to unveil his Belt and Road initiative in the Kazakh capital of Astana rather than Moscow. By doing so and by so far refusing to invest in railroads and roads that would turn Russia into a transportation hub, Xi effectively relegated Russia to the status of second fiddle, at least as far as the Belt and Road’s core transportation infrastructure pillar is concerned. China’s recently published latest defence white paper nonetheless praised the continued development of a “high level” military relationship with Russia that is “enriching the China-Russia comprehensive strategic partnership of coordination for a new era and playing a significant role in maintaining global strategic stability.” In a bid to ensure Russia remains a key player on the international stage and exploit mounting tension in the Gulf, Russian deputy foreign minister and special representative to the Middle East and Africa Mikhail Bogdanov this week proposed a collective security concept that would replace the Gulf’s US defence umbrella and position Russia as a power broker alongside the United States. The concept would entail the creation of a “counter-terrorism coalition of all stakeholders” that would be the motor for resolution of conflicts across the region and promote mutual security guarantees. It would involve the removal of the “permanent deployment of troops of extra-regional states in the territories of states of the Gulf,” a reference to US, British and French forces and bases. Bogdanov’s proposal called for a “universal and comprehensive” security system that would take into account “the interests of all regional and other parties involved, in all spheres of security, including its military, economic and energy dimensions” and ensure the provision of humanitarian assistance. The coalition to include the Gulf states, Russia, China, the US, the European Union and India as well as other stakeholders, a likely reference to Iran, would be launched at an international conference on security and cooperation in the Gulf. It was not clear how feuding Gulf states like Qatar, Saudi Arabia, the United Arb Emirates and Iran would be persuaded to sit at one table. The proposal suggested that Russia’s advantage was that it maintained good relations with all parties. “Russia’s contributions to the fight against Islamic terrorist networks and the liberation of parts of Syria and Iraq can be regarded as a kind of test for the role of sheriff in a Greater Eurasia” that would include the Middle East, said political scientist Dmitry Yefremenko. Putin this week asserted himself as sheriff by signalling his support for embattled former Kyrgyz president Almazbek Atambayev, a Putin crony who has been charged with corruption. Following a meeting in Moscow, Putin urged Atembayev’s nemesis. President Sooronbai Jeenbekov, not to press charges. At the same time, Putin, building on his visit to Kyrgyzstan in March, offered Jeenbekov a carrot. Kyrgyzstan “needs political stability. Everybody needs to unite around the current president and to help him develop the state. We have many plans for cooperation with Kyrgyzstan and we are absolutely determined to work together with the current leadership to fulfill these plans,” Putin said. Russia and Kyrgyzstan signed an agreement during the visit to expand by 60 hectares the Kant Air Base 20 kilometres east of the capital Bishkek that is used by the Russian Air Force and increase the rent Russia pays. Putin further lavished his Kyrgyz hosts with $6 billion in deals ranging from power, mineral resources and hydrocarbons to industry and agriculture. Putin also allocated $200 million for the upgrading of customs infrastructure and border equipment to put an end to the back-up of dozens of trucks on the Kazakh-Kyrgyz border because Kyrgyzstan has so far been unable to comply with the technical requirements of the Russia-led Eurasian Economic Union (EEU). Uzbek president Shavkat Mirziyaev last month gave the EEU, that groups Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan Belarus, and Armenia, a boost by declaring that Uzbekistan would need to join the trade bloc to ensure access to its export markets. EEU members account for 70 percent of Uzbek exports. Said Russia and Eurasia scholar Paul Stronski: “China’s deft diplomacy towards Russia — along with both states’ desires to keep the West out of their common backyard — has kept tensions behind closed doors. But with China now recognising it may need to strengthen its security posture in the region, it is unclear how long this stability will last.” (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

Shifting Sands: Chinese encroachment in Central Asia and challenges to US supremacy in Gulf

Huawei Technologies extended its lead in a declining China smartphone market in the second quarter, with its market share rising to 38% as all other top vendors lost ground, according to data from market research firm Canalys.

Huawei, which was put on a trade blacklist by the United States since mid-May, shipped 37.3 million smartphones in China in the second quarter, up 31% year-on-year, according to Canalys. It's market share rose more than 10 percentage points from the year-ago quarter's 27.6%.

The second-quarter China shipments represented 64% of Huawei's total smartphone shipments in the quarter, Canalys said.

Smartphone shipments in the world's largest smartphone market declined by 6% in the three months ended June to 97.6 million units, according to Canalys. It was the 9th consecutive quarterly fall in China smartphone shipments, the data showed.

Oppo, Vivo, Xiaomi Corp and Apple Inc, the top 4 vendors behind Huawei, saw declines in shipments and market share in the quarter. Canalys analyst Mo Jia said Huawei's addition to the US Entity List in May "caused uncertainty overseas" but it has been shifting its focus back towards its home market, where it invested in aggressive offline expansion to lure consumers from domestic rivals with a patriotic sales pitch.

Huawei's blacklisting by Washington has threatened to cut its access to essential US components and software such as the Google Android apps.

The Chinese company is set to report half-year results later on Tuesday.

Huawei Technologies extended its lead in a declining China smartphone market in the second quarter, with its market share rising to 38% as all other top vendors lost ground, according to data from market research firm Canalys.

Huawei Technologies extended its lead in a declining China smartphone market in the second quarter, with its market share rising to 38% as all other top vendors lost ground, according to data from market research firm Canalys. Huawei, which was put on a trade blacklist by the United States since mid-May, shipped 37.3 million smartphones in China in the second quarter, up 31% year-on-year, according to Canalys. It's market share rose more than 10 percentage points from the year-ago quarter's 27.6%. The second-quarter China shipments represented 64% of Huawei's total smartphone shipments in the quarter, Canalys said. Smartphone shipments in the world's largest smartphone market declined by 6% in the three months ended June to 97.6 million units, according to Canalys. It was the 9th consecutive quarterly fall in China smartphone shipments, the data showed. Oppo, Vivo, Xiaomi Corp and Apple Inc, the top 4 vendors behind Huawei, saw declines in shipments and market share in the quarter. Canalys analyst Mo Jia said Huawei's addition to the US Entity List in May "caused uncertainty overseas" but it has been shifting its focus back towards its home market, where it invested in aggressive offline expansion to lure consumers from domestic rivals with a patriotic sales pitch. Huawei's blacklisting by Washington has threatened to cut its access to essential US components and software such as the Google Android apps. The Chinese company is set to report half-year results later on Tuesday.

Huawei's China smartphone market share jumps as rivals lose ground: Report

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/facebook-suspends-app-pre-installs-on-huawei-phones-225167">Chinese tech giant Huawei Technologies</a> warned on Tuesday a US trade blacklisting will impact short-term revenue growth, even as its half-year revenue surged 23 per cent thanks to soaring smartphone sales at home.

In its first results since Washington placed it on a so-called entity list in May that effectively banned US firms from supplying to it, Huawei also said it remained focused on improving the global smartphone business which bore the brunt of supply chain disruptions caused by the US action.

"Revenue grew fast up through May," Huawei Chairman Liang Hua told reporters at an earnings briefing.

"Given the foundation, we laid in the first half of the year, we continue to see the growth even after we were added to the entity list. That's not to say we don't have difficulties ahead. We do, and they may affect the pace of our growth in the short term," he said.

The US government alleges the Chinese firm is a national security risk as its equipment could be used by Beijing to spy, which Huawei has repeatedly denied.

It has since been given a three-month reprieve till August 19, and <a href="https://www.wionews.com/business-economy/hong-kong-stocks-fall-amid-us-china-trade-tensions-protests-in-city-239117">US President Trump</a> signalled Washington would be relaxing the sanctions on Huawei, though details are unknown.

Huawei's founder and CEO Ren Zhengfei told reporters last month that the impact of the blacklisting was worse than expected. It could cost the company $30 billion in revenue, and that Huawei's revenue this year and in 2020 could stay roughly the same as 2018 at around $100 billion, he said.

Liang said on Tuesday Huawei remained confident in its ability to cope with the blacklisting and its 5G product roll-out had not been affected. The company has won 11 5G contracts since the blacklist was put in place out of a total of 50 bagged so far, he said.

Analysts said strong domestic smartphone sales and new 5G carrier contracts were helping to offset the impact from the export ban that threatens to cut Huawei's access to advanced US components and software such as Google Android apps.

Unlisted Huawei, which only started disclosing quarterly results this year, said revenue in the first half rose to 401.3 billion yuan ($58.28 billion), faster than the 15 per cent growth of a year earlier.

Shipments of its smartphones jumped 24 per cent to 118 million units, as robust sales in China more than offset a global sales drop.

According to data from Canalys, Huawei expanded its lead in China's smartphone market in the second quarter by more than 10 percentage points to nearly 40 per cent of the market, while overseas smartphones sales had a slight drop year-on-year.

Liang said that the company's proprietary Hongmeng mobile operating system was still under development for connected devices and that its preference was to continue to use Google's Android operating system for mobile.

Huawei has given little information about Hongmeng, its own back-up operating system under development in case it was cut off from US-made software.

"Hongmeng is part of our long-term strategy...we are definitely not bluffing," Liang said.

Chinese tech giant Huawei Technologies warned on Tuesday a US trade blacklisting will impact short-term revenue growth, even as its half-year revenue surged 23 per cent thanks to soaring smartphone sales at home.

Chinese tech giant Huawei Technologies warned on Tuesday a US trade blacklisting will impact short-term revenue growth, even as its half-year revenue surged 23 per cent thanks to soaring smartphone sales at home. In its first results since Washington placed it on a so-called entity list in May that effectively banned US firms from supplying to it, Huawei also said it remained focused on improving the global smartphone business which bore the brunt of supply chain disruptions caused by the US action. "Revenue grew fast up through May," Huawei Chairman Liang Hua told reporters at an earnings briefing. "Given the foundation, we laid in the first half of the year, we continue to see the growth even after we were added to the entity list. That's not to say we don't have difficulties ahead. We do, and they may affect the pace of our growth in the short term," he said. The US government alleges the Chinese firm is a national security risk as its equipment could be used by Beijing to spy, which Huawei has repeatedly denied. It has since been given a three-month reprieve till August 19, and US President Trump signalled Washington would be relaxing the sanctions on Huawei, though details are unknown. Huawei's founder and CEO Ren Zhengfei told reporters last month that the impact of the blacklisting was worse than expected. It could cost the company $30 billion in revenue, and that Huawei's revenue this year and in 2020 could stay roughly the same as 2018 at around $100 billion, he said. Liang said on Tuesday Huawei remained confident in its ability to cope with the blacklisting and its 5G product roll-out had not been affected. The company has won 11 5G contracts since the blacklist was put in place out of a total of 50 bagged so far, he said. Analysts said strong domestic smartphone sales and new 5G carrier contracts were helping to offset the impact from the export ban that threatens to cut Huawei's access to advanced US components and software such as Google Android apps. Unlisted Huawei, which only started disclosing quarterly results this year, said revenue in the first half rose to 401.3 billion yuan ($58.28 billion), faster than the 15 per cent growth of a year earlier. Shipments of its smartphones jumped 24 per cent to 118 million units, as robust sales in China more than offset a global sales drop. According to data from Canalys, Huawei expanded its lead in China's smartphone market in the second quarter by more than 10 percentage points to nearly 40 per cent of the market, while overseas smartphones sales had a slight drop year-on-year. Liang said that the company's proprietary Hongmeng mobile operating system was still under development for connected devices and that its preference was to continue to use Google's Android operating system for mobile. Huawei has given little information about Hongmeng, its own back-up operating system under development in case it was cut off from US-made software. "Hongmeng is part of our long-term strategy...we are definitely not bluffing," Liang said.

Huawei warns on US ban after China smartphone sales drive first half revenue

A charismatic <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/russian-opposition-leader-alexei-navalny-hospitalised-for-allergic-reaction-239039">anti-corruption campaigner, Alexei Navalny</a> has been Russia's leading opposition politician for around a decade, determined to challenge Vladimir Putin's grip on power despite frequent prison stays and even damage to his health.

The Yale-educated 43-year-old lawyer has been banned from state television and was barred from challenging Putin in a presidential election last year.

He has often been jailed and physically attacked, but has vowed to press ahead with his campaign to change Russia for the better.

Navalny has won a young fan base through viral videos exposing corruption among the elites and has more than two million followers on Twitter.

He has grabbed attention with his uncompromising rhetoric and coined phrases such as the "party of crooks and thieves" to slam the ruling party United Russia.

In 2011, the anti-corruption blogger led mass protests when tens of thousands took to the streets of <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/dozens-arrested-at-moscow-protest-after-opposition-crackdown-238830">Moscow</a> to protest against vote-rigging in parliamentary elections.

Two years later the father of two stood for Moscow mayor, coming second against Putin ally Sergei Sobyanin.

In 2017, he accused Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev of massive corruption in a YouTube documentary. That kick-started a fresh wave of protests across the country that was met with police violence and mass arrests.&nbsp;

The same year he had to travel to Spain for surgery after one of several street attacks left him nearly blind in one eye.

Brother jailed

Navalny has faced a series of legal cases, which supporters see as punishment for his activism.

In 2013, he was found guilty in an embezzlement case involving a timber deal and given a five-year suspended sentence that disqualified him from standing for public office.

The European Court of Human Rights threw out the verdict but a retrial issued Navalny the same sentence.

He then had to spend months under house arrest and was often kept incommunicado over another graft case linked to French cosmetics company Yves Rocher.

In 2014, he was given another suspended sentence, and his brother Oleg, a co-defendant, was jailed for three and a half years in a decision activist have compared to "hostage-taking".

Navalny has said he learned about political campaigning from watching the US television series "House of Cards" and once listed <a href="https://www.wionews.com/entertainment/tom-cruise-arnold-schwarzenegger-revive-80s-hollywood-classics-at-comic-con-237124">Hollywood actor-turned-politician Arnold Schwarzenegger</a> among his heroes.

Navalny toured Russia ahead of the 2018 presidential election in an American-style campaign to rally his supporters.

But with the Kremlin tightly controlling the media, he remains a fringe figure for many Russians, who are exposed to the official portrayal of him as a Western stooge and convicted criminal.&nbsp;

Putin has refused to pronounce Navalny's name in public, instead referring to him as "the person you mentioned", among other euphemisms, when asked directly about the opposition leader.

Eye-catching exposes 
&nbsp; 
While barred from mainstream politics, Navalny has kept trying to expose the lavish wealth of Russia's elites, broadcasting the findings of his investigations to millions of Russians on social media and YouTube.

Trawling through land registries and the filings of offshore companies, Navalny and his team have helped lay bare the mansions and hidden fortunes of high-ranking officials.&nbsp;

Among Navalny's most eye-catching exposes have been details on the palatial homes of Putin's allies in Russia and abroad including one kitted out with a vast climate-controlled storage room for fur coats in the residence of Vladimir Yakunin, former chief of Russia's national railways.

But despite tapping into discontent among a largely young urban middle class he is far from a unifying opposition figure and some have criticised his anti-immigrant nationalist stance.

Several members of Navalny's team have fought hard to get on the ballot for Moscow parliament elections in September, each managing to collect roughly 5,000 signatures from supporters. They have been barred from running, along with other pro-Kremlin politicians.

Last week Navalny was jailed for calling an unauthorised protest over the ban and on Sunday he was rushed to a hospital. His lawyer and doctor said he had been "poisoned." 
&nbsp;

A charismatic anti-corruption campaigner, Alexei Navalny has been Russia's leading opposition politician for around a decade, determined to challenge Vladimir Putin's grip on power despite frequent prison stays and even damage to his health.

A charismatic anti-corruption campaigner, Alexei Navalny has been Russia's leading opposition politician for around a decade, determined to challenge Vladimir Putin's grip on power despite frequent prison stays and even damage to his health. The Yale-educated 43-year-old lawyer has been banned from state television and was barred from challenging Putin in a presidential election last year. He has often been jailed and physically attacked, but has vowed to press ahead with his campaign to change Russia for the better. Navalny has won a young fan base through viral videos exposing corruption among the elites and has more than two million followers on Twitter. He has grabbed attention with his uncompromising rhetoric and coined phrases such as the "party of crooks and thieves" to slam the ruling party United Russia. In 2011, the anti-corruption blogger led mass protests when tens of thousands took to the streets of Moscow to protest against vote-rigging in parliamentary elections. Two years later the father of two stood for Moscow mayor, coming second against Putin ally Sergei Sobyanin. In 2017, he accused Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev of massive corruption in a YouTube documentary. That kick-started a fresh wave of protests across the country that was met with police violence and mass arrests. The same year he had to travel to Spain for surgery after one of several street attacks left him nearly blind in one eye. Brother jailed Navalny has faced a series of legal cases, which supporters see as punishment for his activism. In 2013, he was found guilty in an embezzlement case involving a timber deal and given a five-year suspended sentence that disqualified him from standing for public office. The European Court of Human Rights threw out the verdict but a retrial issued Navalny the same sentence. He then had to spend months under house arrest and was often kept incommunicado over another graft case linked to French cosmetics company Yves Rocher. In 2014, he was given another suspended sentence, and his brother Oleg, a co-defendant, was jailed for three and a half years in a decision activist have compared to "hostage-taking". Navalny has said he learned about political campaigning from watching the US television series "House of Cards" and once listed Hollywood actor-turned-politician Arnold Schwarzenegger among his heroes. Navalny toured Russia ahead of the 2018 presidential election in an American-style campaign to rally his supporters. But with the Kremlin tightly controlling the media, he remains a fringe figure for many Russians, who are exposed to the official portrayal of him as a Western stooge and convicted criminal. Putin has refused to pronounce Navalny's name in public, instead referring to him as "the person you mentioned", among other euphemisms, when asked directly about the opposition leader. Eye-catching exposes While barred from mainstream politics, Navalny has kept trying to expose the lavish wealth of Russia's elites, broadcasting the findings of his investigations to millions of Russians on social media and YouTube. Trawling through land registries and the filings of offshore companies, Navalny and his team have helped lay bare the mansions and hidden fortunes of high-ranking officials. Among Navalny's most eye-catching exposes have been details on the palatial homes of Putin's allies in Russia and abroad including one kitted out with a vast climate-controlled storage room for fur coats in the residence of Vladimir Yakunin, former chief of Russia's national railways. But despite tapping into discontent among a largely young urban middle class he is far from a unifying opposition figure and some have criticised his anti-immigrant nationalist stance. Several members of Navalny's team have fought hard to get on the ballot for Moscow parliament elections in September, each managing to collect roughly 5,000 signatures from supporters. They have been barred from running, along with other pro-Kremlin politicians. Last week Navalny was jailed for calling an unauthorised protest over the ban and on Sunday he was rushed to a hospital. His lawyer and doctor said he had been "poisoned."

Alexei Navalny: The lawyer standing up to Russia's President Vladimir Putin

This segment of WION brings to you top stories of the morning from across the globe. Watch this video to get updated with the latest information.

WION Speed News: Watch top national and international news of the morning - July 30th, 2019

Questions surrounding one of China's biggest accounting firms, the subject of a regulatory probe, have led to a derailing of the fundraising plans of nearly 50 Chinese companies.

The firm is Ruihua Certified Public Accounts, which the Chinese Institute of Certified Public Accounts said was the second-largest domestic auditor by revenue in 2018.

Regulators have suspended the approvals for initial public offerings (IPOs) by 28 companies that have Ruihua as their accountant.

Also, officials have halted the process of permitting 21 other companies who planned to refinance in the market. In the past month, at least four other companies have said they were dropping Ruihua as their auditor. The most recent, in a filing to the Shanghai Stock Exchange late Monday, is solar panel producer Longi Green Energy Technology.

Ruihua, which says on its website that it has more than 300 listed companies as clients, did not respond to requests for comment on Tuesday.

On July 8, the China Securities Regulatory Commission (CSRC) said it had launched a probe into Ruihua. In May, the firm's audit client Kangde Xin Composite Material Group Co. stunned investors by reporting missing bank deposits worth 12.21 billion yuan ($1.77 billion).

Earlier this month, the CSRC said it found Kangde Xin executives had inflated profits by 11.9 billion yuan between 2015 and 2018 and did not fully disclose dealings by related parties.

Ruihua has audited Kangde Xin since 2013. In a statement on its website on Sunday, Ruihua said it had been diligent in its work for Kangde Xin and had found nothing abnormal at the company.

Harsher Punishment

CSRC's probe comes at a time growing numbers of investors have called for tougher action against corporate malfeasance.

On Friday, the CSRC vowed to boost jail terms and fines for executives, controlling shareholders, auditors and sponsors who break disclosure rules.

Allen Huang, a bond investor, said "We certainly welcome harsher punishment," adding that "the cost of cheating China is too low."

The crackdown also comes as Beijing is dealing with a slowing economy and trade conflict with Washington - increasing politicians' focus on boosting domestic performance.

Xin Chen, a finance professor at Shanghai Advanced Institute of Finance, said that restoring investor faith was key to building an efficient capital market that could help fund high-tech companies and aid China in its jockeying with the United States.

"If auditors are found to be accomplices in corporate fraud cases, they should go bust," he said.

Questions surrounding one of China's biggest accounting firms, the subject of a regulatory probe, have led to a derailing of the fundraising plans of nearly 50 Chinese companies.

Questions surrounding one of China's biggest accounting firms, the subject of a regulatory probe, have led to a derailing of the fundraising plans of nearly 50 Chinese companies. The firm is Ruihua Certified Public Accounts, which the Chinese Institute of Certified Public Accounts said was the second-largest domestic auditor by revenue in 2018. Regulators have suspended the approvals for initial public offerings (IPOs) by 28 companies that have Ruihua as their accountant. Also, officials have halted the process of permitting 21 other companies who planned to refinance in the market. In the past month, at least four other companies have said they were dropping Ruihua as their auditor. The most recent, in a filing to the Shanghai Stock Exchange late Monday, is solar panel producer Longi Green Energy Technology. Ruihua, which says on its website that it has more than 300 listed companies as clients, did not respond to requests for comment on Tuesday. On July 8, the China Securities Regulatory Commission (CSRC) said it had launched a probe into Ruihua. In May, the firm's audit client Kangde Xin Composite Material Group Co. stunned investors by reporting missing bank deposits worth 12.21 billion yuan ($1.77 billion). Earlier this month, the CSRC said it found Kangde Xin executives had inflated profits by 11.9 billion yuan between 2015 and 2018 and did not fully disclose dealings by related parties. Ruihua has audited Kangde Xin since 2013. In a statement on its website on Sunday, Ruihua said it had been diligent in its work for Kangde Xin and had found nothing abnormal at the company. Harsher Punishment CSRC's probe comes at a time growing numbers of investors have called for tougher action against corporate malfeasance. On Friday, the CSRC vowed to boost jail terms and fines for executives, controlling shareholders, auditors and sponsors who break disclosure rules. Allen Huang, a bond investor, said "We certainly welcome harsher punishment," adding that "the cost of cheating China is too low." The crackdown also comes as Beijing is dealing with a slowing economy and trade conflict with Washington - increasing politicians' focus on boosting domestic performance. Xin Chen, a finance professor at Shanghai Advanced Institute of Finance, said that restoring investor faith was key to building an efficient capital market that could help fund high-tech companies and aid China in its jockeying with the United States. "If auditors are found to be accomplices in corporate fraud cases, they should go bust," he said.

'The cost of cheating China is too low': Bond Investor

US negotiators arrived in Shanghai on Tuesday to resurrect trade talks with Chinese officials, with both sides downplaying expectations of an imminent deal between the world's two biggest economies.

The negotiations in the financial hub will be the first face-to-face discussions since <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/donald-trump-defends-attack-on-african-american-us-lawmaker-elijah-cummings-239036">US President Donald Trump</a> agreed to a truce with <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/xi-jinping-first-chinese-leader-to-visit-north-korea-in-14-years-to-meet-kim-ahead-of-trump-talks-228866">Chinese President Xi Jinping</a> at June's G20 summit after previous talks broke down over the US accusations that China reneged on its commitments.

Washington and Beijing have so far hit each other with punitive tariffs covering more than $360 billion in two-way trade, in a tense stand-off centred on demands for China to curb the alleged theft of American technology and provide a level playing field to US companies.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-trade-negotiators-will-travel-to-china-in-very-near-future-official-235396">US Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer </a>and Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin arrived in Shanghai on Tuesday, a source close to the talks told AFP.

Vice Premier Liu He will likely lead the talks for China again, with the two sides expected to meet later Tuesday ahead of a full day of talks on Wednesday.

The negotiations come as Beijing faces heavy pressure over ongoing civil unrest in <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/hong-kong-police-retake-parliament-from-anti-government-protesters-232153">Hong Kong</a>, and with lingering ill-feeling between the US and China.

Days before the Shanghai meeting, Trump threatened to pull recognition of China's developing nation status at the World Trade Organization prompting an irritable reply from Beijing about the "arrogance and selfishness" of the US.

Trump said Friday he believed Chinese negotiators were hoping to delay a deal until after the US presidential election next year, adding: "When I win... they're all going to sign deals."

The US leader has also angered the Chinese side by claiming the slowing economy is forcing them to make a trade deal, and blacklisting telecom giant Huawei over national security concerns.

In a commentary on Tuesday, state news agency Xinhua admitted relations were "strained" and called for the US to "treat China with due respect if it wants a trade deal".

New city

But the kick-starting of trade negotiations are still being seen as positive even if little of substance is expected following a truce agreed between Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping at the G20 in June.

"Realistically, this round of talks is about clarifying where the two sides stand after a significant lull in engagement," said Jake Parker, senior vice president at the US-China Business Council.&nbsp;

"There also needs to be a focus on rebuilding the trust that was present in April but has since dissipated."

Holding talks in Shanghai is also a nod to a time of better relations, as the city was the home of the 1972 Shanghai Communique -- an important step in building diplomatic relations between the US and China.

Chinese Commerce Minister Zhong Shan, who is seen as a tough negotiator, is expected to join Liu on the Chinese side.

"Minister Zhong Shan, like Liu He, is a 19th Party Congress Central Committee member, so his involvement would indicate an elevation of participation on the Chinese side," said Parker.

"His appointment could offer another senior voice... on the Chinese side."

'Lot of issues'&nbsp;

But both sides were busy lowering expectations in the run-up to talks.&nbsp;

Mnuchin told CNBC last week there were still "a lot of issues" while Chinese state-run daily The Global Times wrote that it is "widely believed that trade talks will take a long time".

There was no sign of the rhetoric letting up either, with the China Daily newspaper's Tuesday editorial saying "the US should give its go-to tactic of maximum pressure a couple of days off as it has proven ineffective against China".

It pointed to an announcement at the weekend that China would buy more US agricultural products including pork, cotton, and soybean as a sign of China's "goodwill" and called for the US to "reciprocate if it wants any progress to be made".

There are likely to be "modest soft-pedalled concessions", said Stephen Innes, managing partner at Vanguard Markets Singapore, such as a pause of further tariff increases on Chinese exports to the US.

"Following another month of escalating tensions, agreement on practically anything will be a positive," said Innes.

US negotiators arrived in Shanghai on Tuesday to resurrect trade talks with Chinese officials, with both sides downplaying expectations of an imminent deal between the world's two biggest economies.

US negotiators arrived in Shanghai on Tuesday to resurrect trade talks with Chinese officials, with both sides downplaying expectations of an imminent deal between the world's two biggest economies. The negotiations in the financial hub will be the first face-to-face discussions since US President Donald Trump agreed to a truce with Chinese President Xi Jinping at June's G20 summit after previous talks broke down over the US accusations that China reneged on its commitments. Washington and Beijing have so far hit each other with punitive tariffs covering more than $360 billion in two-way trade, in a tense stand-off centred on demands for China to curb the alleged theft of American technology and provide a level playing field to US companies. US Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer and Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin arrived in Shanghai on Tuesday, a source close to the talks told AFP. Vice Premier Liu He will likely lead the talks for China again, with the two sides expected to meet later Tuesday ahead of a full day of talks on Wednesday. The negotiations come as Beijing faces heavy pressure over ongoing civil unrest in Hong Kong, and with lingering ill-feeling between the US and China. Days before the Shanghai meeting, Trump threatened to pull recognition of China's developing nation status at the World Trade Organization prompting an irritable reply from Beijing about the "arrogance and selfishness" of the US. Trump said Friday he believed Chinese negotiators were hoping to delay a deal until after the US presidential election next year, adding: "When I win... they're all going to sign deals." The US leader has also angered the Chinese side by claiming the slowing economy is forcing them to make a trade deal, and blacklisting telecom giant Huawei over national security concerns. In a commentary on Tuesday, state news agency Xinhua admitted relations were "strained" and called for the US to "treat China with due respect if it wants a trade deal". New city But the kick-starting of trade negotiations are still being seen as positive even if little of substance is expected following a truce agreed between Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping at the G20 in June. "Realistically, this round of talks is about clarifying where the two sides stand after a significant lull in engagement," said Jake Parker, senior vice president at the US-China Business Council. "There also needs to be a focus on rebuilding the trust that was present in April but has since dissipated." Holding talks in Shanghai is also a nod to a time of better relations, as the city was the home of the 1972 Shanghai Communique -- an important step in building diplomatic relations between the US and China. Chinese Commerce Minister Zhong Shan, who is seen as a tough negotiator, is expected to join Liu on the Chinese side. "Minister Zhong Shan, like Liu He, is a 19th Party Congress Central Committee member, so his involvement would indicate an elevation of participation on the Chinese side," said Parker. "His appointment could offer another senior voice... on the Chinese side." 'Lot of issues' But both sides were busy lowering expectations in the run-up to talks. Mnuchin told CNBC last week there were still "a lot of issues" while Chinese state-run daily The Global Times wrote that it is "widely believed that trade talks will take a long time". There was no sign of the rhetoric letting up either, with the China Daily newspaper's Tuesday editorial saying "the US should give its go-to tactic of maximum pressure a couple of days off as it has proven ineffective against China". It pointed to an announcement at the weekend that China would buy more US agricultural products including pork, cotton, and soybean as a sign of China's "goodwill" and called for the US to "reciprocate if it wants any progress to be made". There are likely to be "modest soft-pedalled concessions", said Stephen Innes, managing partner at Vanguard Markets Singapore, such as a pause of further tariff increases on Chinese exports to the US. "Following another month of escalating tensions, agreement on practically anything will be a positive," said Innes.

China-US trade talks to restart after G20 tariff truce

Fortnite World Cup success: How women, teenagers are changing the billion dollar worldwide gaming industry

Who is Boris Johnson? Brexit warrior, Trump's friend & China's frenemy

A mass shooting at a food festival in California has once again raised questions over gun culture in the United States.

San Jose shooting puts focus back on gun culture in US

Police and ambulances raced to a shooting at a food festival in California on Sunday, with four people reported dead and several injured, and video posted on social media showing people at the event running for cover as shots rang out.

Gilroy Garlic Festival Shooting: Trump tweets 'be careful and safe'

Local police said one suspect had been shot and killed by police but warned the scene was “still active” as a manhunt was under way for a second suspect.

Gilroy Garlic Festival Shooting: Motive of attack not clear yet

Gilroy Garlic Festival Shooting: 4 dead, 15 injured as police kill one suspect

16-year-old Kyle Giersdorf, who’s known by his video gaming handle “Bugha,” won the $3 million grand prize at the Fortnite World Cup held Sunday at Arthur Ashe Stadium in New York.

Fortnite World Cup: 16-year-old wins ultimate battle royale, gets $3 million prize money

The US director of national intelligence, Dan Coats, has become the latest high-profile figure to leave the Trump administration. President Donald Trump tweeted Coats would step down in mid-August and that he would nominate the Texan congressman John Ratcliffe to replace him.

US intelligence chief Dan Coats is set to resign

At least five people have been hospitalised after a shooting at an annual food festival in northern California.

Several injured in shooting at California Food Festival

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/multiple-casualties-in-california-shooting-shooter-still-active-say-police-239114">Multiple casualties in California shooting, 'shooter still active', say police</a>

An "active shooter" was reported at a food festival in Gilroy, California on Sunday, police said, adding that were casualties.

Police said multiple casualties were reported in the shooting.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/hong-kong-protest-turns-violent-chinas-top-policy-unit-to-hold-press-conference-on-monday-239094">Some radical protesters acted violently: Hong Kong police</a>

Riot police in Hong Kong launched volleys of tear gas and rubber bullets on Sunday during hours of running battles with pro-democracy protesters close to Beijing's office in the city, marking the second consecutive day officers have fired on demonstrators.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-intelligence-chief-dan-coats-resigns-from-trump-administration-239088">US intelligence chief Dan Coats to resign from Trump administration</a>

US intelligence chief Dan Coats will leave office on August 15, President Donald Trump announced on Sunday, the latest high-profile departure from his turnover-plagued administration.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/millions-of-tonnes-of-us-soy-shipped-to-china-state-media-on-trade-consensus-239095">Millions of tonnes of US soy shipped to China: State media on trade consensus</a>

The United States has shipped several million tonnes of soybeans to China since the two countries' leaders met in June, Chinese state media said on Sunday, an apparent sign of goodwill before trade talks in Shanghai this week.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/suspected-boko-haram-islamists-kill-at-least-30-in-northeast-nigeria-source-239096">Death toll in Nigeria Boko Haram funeral attack rises to 65</a>

An attack this weekend by Boko Haram fighters on a funeral in northeast Nigeria has left 65 people dead, almost triple the initial toll, a local official said Sunday.

Dozens more bodies were discovered following the assault Saturday by gunmen on a village close to the regional capital Maiduguri.

Multiple casualties in California shooting, 'shooter still active', say police An "active shooter" was reported at a food festival in Gilroy, California on Sunday, police said, adding that were casualties.

Multiple casualties in California shooting, 'shooter still active', say police An "active shooter" was reported at a food festival in Gilroy, California on Sunday, police said, adding that were casualties. Police said multiple casualties were reported in the shooting. Some radical protesters acted violently: Hong Kong police Riot police in Hong Kong launched volleys of tear gas and rubber bullets on Sunday during hours of running battles with pro-democracy protesters close to Beijing's office in the city, marking the second consecutive day officers have fired on demonstrators. US intelligence chief Dan Coats to resign from Trump administration US intelligence chief Dan Coats will leave office on August 15, President Donald Trump announced on Sunday, the latest high-profile departure from his turnover-plagued administration. Millions of tonnes of US soy shipped to China: State media on trade consensus The United States has shipped several million tonnes of soybeans to China since the two countries' leaders met in June, Chinese state media said on Sunday, an apparent sign of goodwill before trade talks in Shanghai this week. Death toll in Nigeria Boko Haram funeral attack rises to 65 An attack this weekend by Boko Haram fighters on a funeral in northeast Nigeria has left 65 people dead, almost triple the initial toll, a local official said Sunday. Dozens more bodies were discovered following the assault Saturday by gunmen on a village close to the regional capital Maiduguri.

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