"I love India, give my regards to my friend Prime Minister Modi," United States President Donald Trump told Indian External Affairs Minister, Sushma Swaraj as both exchanged pleasantries during a high-level event on counter-narcotics at the 73rd session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York on Monday.

The moment came when Trump was leaving the podium at the conclusion of the event and US Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley warmly hugged Swaraj and introduced her to the president.

During the conversation, EAM Swaraj told Trump that she has brought greetings from Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Responding to the same, Trump, as per the Indian diplomatic sources, said, "I love India, give my regards to my friend Prime Minister Modi."

Swaraj was attending an event titled 'Global Call to Action on the World Drug Problem' chaired by the US president as the 73rd Session of the UN General Assembly began in New York.

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"I love India, give my regards to my friend PM Modi," US President Donald Trump told EAM Sushma Swaraj as the two exchanged pleasantries during a high-level event on counter-narcotics in New York on Monday: Diplomatic sources (Pic source: UN Web TV) <a href="https://t.co/ofBP35lLzc">pic.twitter.com/ofBP35lLzc</a>
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In June last year, Trump had hosted Prime Minister Modi at the White House during his visit to the US. Commenting on Prime Minister Modi's visit to the US, the White House had said that it was the "first dinner for a foreign dignitary at the White House under President Trump's administration".

"When President Trump came to India in 2014... He was full of very warm remarks and observations about me, I still remember them," Prime Minister Modi had told media warmly at the White House in the US.

President Trump had also described Prime Minister Modi as a "true friend" and both the leaders had maintained a good bond. The last meeting between the two leaders took place at the ASEAN summit in the Philippines in November last year.

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&nbsp;

"I love India, give my regards to my friend Prime Minister Modi," United States President Donald Trump told Indian External Affairs Minister, Sushma Swaraj as both exchanged pleasantries during a high-level event on counter-narcotics at the 73rd session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York on Monday.

"I love India, give my regards to my friend Prime Minister Modi," United States President Donald Trump told Indian External Affairs Minister, Sushma Swaraj as both exchanged pleasantries during a high-level event on counter-narcotics at the 73rd session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York on Monday. The moment came when Trump was leaving the podium at the conclusion of the event and US Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley warmly hugged Swaraj and introduced her to the president. During the conversation, EAM Swaraj told Trump that she has brought greetings from Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Responding to the same, Trump, as per the Indian diplomatic sources, said, "I love India, give my regards to my friend Prime Minister Modi." Swaraj was attending an event titled 'Global Call to Action on the World Drug Problem' chaired by the US president as the 73rd Session of the UN General Assembly began in New York. "I love India, give my regards to my friend PM Modi," US President Donald Trump told EAM Sushma Swaraj as the two exchanged pleasantries during a high-level event on counter-narcotics in New York on Monday: Diplomatic sources (Pic source: UN Web TV) pic.twitter.com/ofBP35lLzc — ANI (@ANI) September 25, 2018 × In June last year, Trump had hosted Prime Minister Modi at the White House during his visit to the US. Commenting on Prime Minister Modi's visit to the US, the White House had said that it was the "first dinner for a foreign dignitary at the White House under President Trump's administration". "When President Trump came to India in 2014... He was full of very warm remarks and observations about me, I still remember them," Prime Minister Modi had told media warmly at the White House in the US. President Trump had also described Prime Minister Modi as a "true friend" and both the leaders had maintained a good bond. The last meeting between the two leaders took place at the ASEAN summit in the Philippines in November last year. ×

Trump sends love to India, regards to 'friend' PM Modi

United States Ambassador to United Nations, Nikki Haley, on Monday announced White House's decision to almost double&nbsp;its aid for displaced Rohingya Muslims in Bangladesh and Myanmar.

Haley said the United States would give an extra $185 million, of which $156 million would go to refugees and host communities in Bangladesh, taking its total humanitarian aid for the crisis to nearly $389 million in the past year.

Over 700,000 Rohingyas crossed the border to Bangladesh after a Myanmar military crackdown unleashed in the western state of Rakhine last year.

UN-mandated investigators have said the military carried out mass killings and gang rapes of Rohingya with "genocidal intent." Myanmar rejected the findings as "one-sided" and said it was a legitimate counterinsurgency operation.

Meanwhile, a US government investigation has found that Myanmar’s military waged a "well-planned and coordinated" campaign of mass killings, gang rapes and other atrocities against the Southeast Asian nation’s Rohingya Muslim minority.

The US State Department report, reviewed by Reuters ahead of its expected public release on Monday, could be used to justify further US sanctions or other punitive measures against Myanmar authorities, said US officials.

The findings resulted from more than a thousand interviews of Rohingya men and women in refugee camps in neighbouring Bangladesh, where almost 700,000 Rohingya have fled after a military campaign last year in Myanmar's Rakhine State.

“The survey reveals that the recent violence in northern Rakhine State was extreme, large-scale, widespread, and seemingly geared toward both terrorizing the population and driving out the Rohingya residents,” according to the 20-page report. “The scope and scale of the military’s operations indicate they were well-planned and coordinated.”

 
(With inputs from Reuters)&nbsp;

United States Ambassador to United Nations, Nikki Haley, on Monday announced White House's decision to almost double its aid for displaced Rohingya Muslims in Bangladesh and Myanmar.

United States Ambassador to United Nations, Nikki Haley, on Monday announced White House's decision to almost double its aid for displaced Rohingya Muslims in Bangladesh and Myanmar. Haley said the United States would give an extra $185 million, of which $156 million would go to refugees and host communities in Bangladesh, taking its total humanitarian aid for the crisis to nearly $389 million in the past year. Over 700,000 Rohingyas crossed the border to Bangladesh after a Myanmar military crackdown unleashed in the western state of Rakhine last year. UN-mandated investigators have said the military carried out mass killings and gang rapes of Rohingya with "genocidal intent." Myanmar rejected the findings as "one-sided" and said it was a legitimate counterinsurgency operation. Meanwhile, a US government investigation has found that Myanmar’s military waged a "well-planned and coordinated" campaign of mass killings, gang rapes and other atrocities against the Southeast Asian nation’s Rohingya Muslim minority. The US State Department report, reviewed by Reuters ahead of its expected public release on Monday, could be used to justify further US sanctions or other punitive measures against Myanmar authorities, said US officials. The findings resulted from more than a thousand interviews of Rohingya men and women in refugee camps in neighbouring Bangladesh, where almost 700,000 Rohingya have fled after a military campaign last year in Myanmar's Rakhine State. “The survey reveals that the recent violence in northern Rakhine State was extreme, large-scale, widespread, and seemingly geared toward both terrorizing the population and driving out the Rohingya residents,” according to the 20-page report. “The scope and scale of the military’s operations indicate they were well-planned and coordinated.” (With inputs from Reuters)

Aid doubled for Rohingyas in Bangladesh, Myanmar: Nikki Haley 

The United States congratulated Ibrahim Mohamed Solih on his victory in the recently-concluded presidential polls in the Maldives and expressed keenness in working with the new government in areas of shared interest.

"The United States congratulates Ibrahim Mohamed Solih on his victory in Maldives'&nbsp;September 23 presidential election. The United States commends the Maldivian people for their commitment to the democratic process and exceptional level of participation in an election that has ushered in a new chapter in their country's history. We expect all parties to respect the will of the Maldivian people and support a peaceful transition of power through the November 17 inauguration," a statement issued by US State Department Spokesperson, Heather Nauert, read.

In a hotly-contested election in the island nation, Solih, a senior opposition leader, emerged victorious by garnering 134,616 votes, according to the provincial results announced by the Maldivian Election Commission.

Incumbent Maldivian President Abdulla Yameen, however, secured 96,132 votes only.

Official results are scheduled to be announced before September 30.

However, Yameen, in a televised speech on Monday, said he accepted the people's mandate and conceded defeat.&nbsp;

The United States congratulated Ibrahim Mohamed Solih on his victory in the recently-concluded presidential polls in the Maldives and expressed keenness in working with the new government in areas of shared interest.

The United States congratulated Ibrahim Mohamed Solih on his victory in the recently-concluded presidential polls in the Maldives and expressed keenness in working with the new government in areas of shared interest. "The United States congratulates Ibrahim Mohamed Solih on his victory in Maldives' September 23 presidential election. The United States commends the Maldivian people for their commitment to the democratic process and exceptional level of participation in an election that has ushered in a new chapter in their country's history. We expect all parties to respect the will of the Maldivian people and support a peaceful transition of power through the November 17 inauguration," a statement issued by US State Department Spokesperson, Heather Nauert, read. In a hotly-contested election in the island nation, Solih, a senior opposition leader, emerged victorious by garnering 134,616 votes, according to the provincial results announced by the Maldivian Election Commission. Incumbent Maldivian President Abdulla Yameen, however, secured 96,132 votes only. Official results are scheduled to be announced before September 30. However, Yameen, in a televised speech on Monday, said he accepted the people's mandate and conceded defeat.

US lauds Ibrahim Solih on Maldives election victory

A US&nbsp;government investigation has found that Myanmar’s military waged a "well-planned and coordinated" campaign of mass killings, gang rapes and other atrocities against the Southeast Asian nation’s Rohingya Muslim minority.

The US&nbsp;State Department report, reviewed by Reuters ahead of its expected public release on Monday, could be used to justify further US&nbsp;sanctions or other punitive measures against Myanmar authorities, said US&nbsp;officials.

But it stopped short of describing the crackdown as genocide or crimes against humanity, an issue that other US&nbsp;officials said was the subject of fierce internal debate that delayed the report's rollout for nearly a month.

The findings resulted from more than a thousand interviews of Rohingya men and women in refugee camps in neighbouring Bangladesh, where almost 700,000 Rohingya have fled after a military campaign last year in Myanmar's Rakhine State.

“The survey reveals that the recent violence in northern Rakhine State was extreme, large-scale, widespread, and seemingly geared toward both terrorizing the population and driving out the Rohingya residents,” according to the 20-page report. “The scope and scale of the military’s operations indicate they were well-planned and coordinated.”

Survivors described in harrowing detail what they had witnessed, including soldiers killing infants and small children, the shooting of unarmed men, and victims buried alive or thrown into pits of mass graves. They described widespread sexual assault by Myanmar’s military of Rohingya women, often carried out in public.

One witness described four Rohingya girls who were abducted, tied up with ropes and raped for three days. They were left "half dead," he said, according to the report.

Human rights groups and Rohingya activists have put the death toll in the thousands from the crackdown, which was sparked by attacks by Rohingya insurgents on security forces in Rakhine State in August 2017.

UN report found 'genocidal intent'

The results of the US&nbsp;investigation were being released nearly a month after UN&nbsp;investigators issued their own report accusing Myanmar’s military of acting with "genocidal intent" and calling for the country’s commander-in-chief and five generals to be prosecuted under international law.

The military in Myanmar, also known as Burma, where Buddhism is the main religion, has denied accusations of ethnic cleansing and says its actions were part of a fight against terrorism.

US&nbsp;Senior State Department officials said the objective of the investigation was not to determine genocide but to "document the facts" on the atrocities to guide US&nbsp;policy aimed at holding the perpetrators accountable, but the report proposes no new steps.

One of the officials, speaking on condition of anonymity, said it would be up to US&nbsp;Secretary of State Mike Pompeo whether to make such a "legal" designation in the future and did not rule out the possibility.

A declaration of genocide by the US&nbsp;government, which has only gone as far as labelling the crackdown "ethnic cleansing," could have legal implications of committing Washington to stronger punitive measures against Myanmar.

The International Criminal Court last week said it had begun an examination of whether the alleged forced deportations of Rohingya could constitute war crimes or crimes against humanity.

Asked whether the new US&nbsp;findings could be used to bolster such international prosecution, the State Department official said no decision had been made on seeking "judicial accountability" over the Rohingya crisis.

Sarah Margon, director of the Washington office of Human Right Watch, said: "What's missing now is a clear indication of whether the US&nbsp;government intends to pursue meaningful accountability and help ensure justice for so many victims."

"The stories from some refugees show a pattern of planning and pre-meditation" by the military and other attackers, the report said, citing confiscation in advance of knives and other tools that could be used as weapons.

About 80 per cent of refugees surveyed said they witnessed a killing, most often by military or police, according to the report.

“Reports of mutilation included the cutting and spreading of entrails, severed limbs or hands/feet, pulling out nails or burning beards and genitals to force a confession, or being burned alive," the report said.

In a few cases, witnesses said Rohingya were either killed in pits bulldozed by the military or buried alive.

The State Department’s investigation was modelled on a US&nbsp;forensic examination of mass atrocities in Sudan's Darfur region in 2004, which led to a US&nbsp;declaration of genocide that culminated in sanctions against the Sudanese government.

The Trump administration, which has been criticized by human rights groups and some US&nbsp;lawmakers for a cautious response to Myanmar, could now face added pressure to take a tougher stand.

The United States on Monday announced it was almost doubling its aid for displaced Rohingya Muslims in Bangladesh and Myanmar, with an extra $185 million.

Any stiffer measures against Myanmar authorities could be tempered though by US&nbsp;concerns about complicating relations between civilian leader Aung San Suu Kyi, a Nobel Peace Prize laureate, and the powerful military which might push Myanmar closer to China.

The US&nbsp;government on Aug. 17 imposed sanctions on four military and police commanders and two army units but Myanmar’s military chief, Min Aung Hlaing, was spared. Further targeted sanctions have been under consideration, officials said earlier.

The Rohingya, who regard themselves as native to Rakhine state, are widely considered as interlopers by Myanmar's Buddhist majority and are denied citizenship.

A US government investigation has found that Myanmar’s military waged a "well-planned and coordinated" campaign of mass killings, gang rapes and other atrocities against the Southeast Asian nation’s Rohingya Muslim minority.

A US government investigation has found that Myanmar’s military waged a "well-planned and coordinated" campaign of mass killings, gang rapes and other atrocities against the Southeast Asian nation’s Rohingya Muslim minority. The US State Department report, reviewed by Reuters ahead of its expected public release on Monday, could be used to justify further US sanctions or other punitive measures against Myanmar authorities, said US officials. But it stopped short of describing the crackdown as genocide or crimes against humanity, an issue that other US officials said was the subject of fierce internal debate that delayed the report's rollout for nearly a month. The findings resulted from more than a thousand interviews of Rohingya men and women in refugee camps in neighbouring Bangladesh, where almost 700,000 Rohingya have fled after a military campaign last year in Myanmar's Rakhine State. “The survey reveals that the recent violence in northern Rakhine State was extreme, large-scale, widespread, and seemingly geared toward both terrorizing the population and driving out the Rohingya residents,” according to the 20-page report. “The scope and scale of the military’s operations indicate they were well-planned and coordinated.” Survivors described in harrowing detail what they had witnessed, including soldiers killing infants and small children, the shooting of unarmed men, and victims buried alive or thrown into pits of mass graves. They described widespread sexual assault by Myanmar’s military of Rohingya women, often carried out in public. One witness described four Rohingya girls who were abducted, tied up with ropes and raped for three days. They were left "half dead," he said, according to the report. Human rights groups and Rohingya activists have put the death toll in the thousands from the crackdown, which was sparked by attacks by Rohingya insurgents on security forces in Rakhine State in August 2017. UN report found 'genocidal intent' The results of the US investigation were being released nearly a month after UN investigators issued their own report accusing Myanmar’s military of acting with "genocidal intent" and calling for the country’s commander-in-chief and five generals to be prosecuted under international law. The military in Myanmar, also known as Burma, where Buddhism is the main religion, has denied accusations of ethnic cleansing and says its actions were part of a fight against terrorism. US Senior State Department officials said the objective of the investigation was not to determine genocide but to "document the facts" on the atrocities to guide US policy aimed at holding the perpetrators accountable, but the report proposes no new steps. One of the officials, speaking on condition of anonymity, said it would be up to US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo whether to make such a "legal" designation in the future and did not rule out the possibility. A declaration of genocide by the US government, which has only gone as far as labelling the crackdown "ethnic cleansing," could have legal implications of committing Washington to stronger punitive measures against Myanmar. The International Criminal Court last week said it had begun an examination of whether the alleged forced deportations of Rohingya could constitute war crimes or crimes against humanity. Asked whether the new US findings could be used to bolster such international prosecution, the State Department official said no decision had been made on seeking "judicial accountability" over the Rohingya crisis. Sarah Margon, director of the Washington office of Human Right Watch, said: "What's missing now is a clear indication of whether the US government intends to pursue meaningful accountability and help ensure justice for so many victims." "The stories from some refugees show a pattern of planning and pre-meditation" by the military and other attackers, the report said, citing confiscation in advance of knives and other tools that could be used as weapons. About 80 per cent of refugees surveyed said they witnessed a killing, most often by military or police, according to the report. “Reports of mutilation included the cutting and spreading of entrails, severed limbs or hands/feet, pulling out nails or burning beards and genitals to force a confession, or being burned alive," the report said. In a few cases, witnesses said Rohingya were either killed in pits bulldozed by the military or buried alive. The State Department’s investigation was modelled on a US forensic examination of mass atrocities in Sudan's Darfur region in 2004, which led to a US declaration of genocide that culminated in sanctions against the Sudanese government. The Trump administration, which has been criticized by human rights groups and some US lawmakers for a cautious response to Myanmar, could now face added pressure to take a tougher stand. The United States on Monday announced it was almost doubling its aid for displaced Rohingya Muslims in Bangladesh and Myanmar, with an extra $185 million. Any stiffer measures against Myanmar authorities could be tempered though by US concerns about complicating relations between civilian leader Aung San Suu Kyi, a Nobel Peace Prize laureate, and the powerful military which might push Myanmar closer to China. The US government on Aug. 17 imposed sanctions on four military and police commanders and two army units but Myanmar’s military chief, Min Aung Hlaing, was spared. Further targeted sanctions have been under consideration, officials said earlier. The Rohingya, who regard themselves as native to Rakhine state, are widely considered as interlopers by Myanmar's Buddhist majority and are denied citizenship.

US accuses Myanmar military of 'planned and coordinated' Rohingya atrocities

The United States has issued new Venezuela-related sanctions targeting Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro's wife as well as the country's vice president and defense minister, according to a statement Tuesday on the Treasury Department's website.

Venezuelan Vice President Delcy Eloina Rodriguez Gomez and Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino Lopez were among the six individuals targeted, according to the statement. Three entities and an aircraft were also listed.

The United States has issued new Venezuela-related sanctions targeting Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro's wife as well as the country's vice president and defense minister, according to a statement Tuesday on the Treasury Department's website.

The United States has issued new Venezuela-related sanctions targeting Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro's wife as well as the country's vice president and defense minister, according to a statement Tuesday on the Treasury Department's website. Venezuelan Vice President Delcy Eloina Rodriguez Gomez and Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino Lopez were among the six individuals targeted, according to the statement. Three entities and an aircraft were also listed.

US targets Venezuelan president's wife, others in fresh sanctions

The Trump administration has told a federal court that its decision to revoke work permits to H-4 visa users, a significant majority of whom are Indian-Americans, is expected within the next three months, a move which will have a major impact on Indian women as they are the major beneficiary of the Obama-era rule.

H-4 visas are issued by the US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) to immediate family members (spouse and children under 21 years of age) of the holders of H-1B visa, the most sought-after among Indian IT professionals.

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) in its latest court filing Friday told the US District Court in District of Columbia that it was "making a solid and swift progress in proposing to remove from its regulations on certain H-4 spouses of H-1B nonimmigrants as a class of aliens eligible for employment authorisation".

The DHS said the new rule would be submitted to the Office of Management of Budget (OMB), White House, within three months.

Till then, the department urged the court to keep in abeyance its decision on a lawsuit filed by 'Save Jobs USA', representing a group of US workers who claim that their jobs have been hit by such a policy of the government that was promulgated during the previous Obama administration.

The Trump administration is currently reviewing the H-1B visa policy that it thinks is being misused by companies to replace American workers.

The administration has said publicly and also in its court filing that it wants to revoke work permits to H4 visa holders, a significant majority of whom are Indian-Americans and women.

The move will have a major impact on Indian women as they are the major beneficiary of the Obama-era rule.

This is for the third time that the Department of Homeland has informed the court about the delay in issue of Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM). The DHS has filed three status reports - on February 28, May 22 and August 20. The next status report is due on November 19.

Explaining the reasons for the delay, the US attorney said since the filing of the most recent status report, the DHS's senior leadership reviewed the proposed rule and returned it to the USCIS this month for revisions.

"Senior leadership review and the request for revisions is standard practice within the DHS. When the necessary revisions are incorporated, the USCIS will return the proposed rule to the DHS for final clearance and submission to OMB," he said.

However, 'Save Jobs USA' has sought an early decision from the court, arguing that the longer the case remains in abeyance, the greater the possible harm to the US workers.

As of December 25, 2017, the USCIS had approved 1,26,853 applications for employment authorisation for H-4 visa holders. These counts all approvals since May 2015 when the rule was implemented. This number includes 90,946 initial approvals, 35,219 renewals, and 688 replacements for lost cards.

"Ninety-three per cent of approved applications for H-4 employment authorisation was issued to individuals born in India, and five per cent were issued to individuals born in China. Individuals born in all other countries combined make up the remaining two per cent of approved applications," the Congressional Research Service said in its recent report, based on information obtained from the USCIS.&nbsp;

The Trump administration has told a federal court that its decision to revoke work permits to H-4 visa users, a significant majority of whom are Indian-Americans, is expected within the next three months, a move which will have a major impact on Indian women as they are the major beneficiary of the Obama-era rule.

The Trump administration has told a federal court that its decision to revoke work permits to H-4 visa users, a significant majority of whom are Indian-Americans, is expected within the next three months, a move which will have a major impact on Indian women as they are the major beneficiary of the Obama-era rule. H-4 visas are issued by the US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) to immediate family members (spouse and children under 21 years of age) of the holders of H-1B visa, the most sought-after among Indian IT professionals. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) in its latest court filing Friday told the US District Court in District of Columbia that it was "making a solid and swift progress in proposing to remove from its regulations on certain H-4 spouses of H-1B nonimmigrants as a class of aliens eligible for employment authorisation". The DHS said the new rule would be submitted to the Office of Management of Budget (OMB), White House, within three months. Till then, the department urged the court to keep in abeyance its decision on a lawsuit filed by 'Save Jobs USA', representing a group of US workers who claim that their jobs have been hit by such a policy of the government that was promulgated during the previous Obama administration. The Trump administration is currently reviewing the H-1B visa policy that it thinks is being misused by companies to replace American workers. The administration has said publicly and also in its court filing that it wants to revoke work permits to H4 visa holders, a significant majority of whom are Indian-Americans and women. The move will have a major impact on Indian women as they are the major beneficiary of the Obama-era rule. This is for the third time that the Department of Homeland has informed the court about the delay in issue of Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM). The DHS has filed three status reports - on February 28, May 22 and August 20. The next status report is due on November 19. Explaining the reasons for the delay, the US attorney said since the filing of the most recent status report, the DHS's senior leadership reviewed the proposed rule and returned it to the USCIS this month for revisions. "Senior leadership review and the request for revisions is standard practice within the DHS. When the necessary revisions are incorporated, the USCIS will return the proposed rule to the DHS for final clearance and submission to OMB," he said. However, 'Save Jobs USA' has sought an early decision from the court, arguing that the longer the case remains in abeyance, the greater the possible harm to the US workers. As of December 25, 2017, the USCIS had approved 1,26,853 applications for employment authorisation for H-4 visa holders. These counts all approvals since May 2015 when the rule was implemented. This number includes 90,946 initial approvals, 35,219 renewals, and 688 replacements for lost cards. "Ninety-three per cent of approved applications for H-4 employment authorisation was issued to individuals born in India, and five per cent were issued to individuals born in China. Individuals born in all other countries combined make up the remaining two per cent of approved applications," the Congressional Research Service said in its recent report, based on information obtained from the USCIS.

US to revoke work permits for families of H-1B visa holders in 3 months: Report

United States and allied forces came under attack in Somalia, triggering an air strike which killed 18 Al-Shabaab militants, the US military said on Saturday.

The incident occurred on Friday 50 kilometres (30 miles) northwest of Kismayo in the south of the Horn of Africa country where Somali commandos work side-by-side with the American forces that train them.

Air assaults and missile strikes have increased in recent months.

"The US airstrike was conducted against militants after US and partner forces came under attack," US Africa Command said in a statement.

US forces also partner with the United Nations-backed African Union Mission in Somalia, which aims to counter the threat from Al-Shabaab jihadists.

The air strike was conducted "in self-defense," killing 18 militants, Africa Command said.

Two other militants "were killed by Somali forces with small arms fire during the engagement," it added.

In June an American commando was killed during an attack in southern Somalia that also wounded four US military members and a Somali soldier, officials said at the time.

More than 500 American personnel are partnered with African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) and Somali national security forces.

Al-Shabaab, an Al-Qaeda affiliate, is fighting to overthrow the internationally-backed Somali government in Mogadishu.

United States and allied forces came under attack in Somalia, triggering an air strike which killed 18 Al-Shabaab militants, the US military said on Saturday. The incident occurred on Friday 50 kilometres (30 miles) northwest of Kismayo in the south of the Horn of Africa country where Somali commandos work side-by-side with the American forces that train them.

United States and allied forces came under attack in Somalia, triggering an air strike which killed 18 Al-Shabaab militants, the US military said on Saturday. The incident occurred on Friday 50 kilometres (30 miles) northwest of Kismayo in the south of the Horn of Africa country where Somali commandos work side-by-side with the American forces that train them. Air assaults and missile strikes have increased in recent months. "The US airstrike was conducted against militants after US and partner forces came under attack," US Africa Command said in a statement. US forces also partner with the United Nations-backed African Union Mission in Somalia, which aims to counter the threat from Al-Shabaab jihadists. The air strike was conducted "in self-defense," killing 18 militants, Africa Command said. Two other militants "were killed by Somali forces with small arms fire during the engagement," it added. In June an American commando was killed during an attack in southern Somalia that also wounded four US military members and a Somali soldier, officials said at the time. More than 500 American personnel are partnered with African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) and Somali national security forces. Al-Shabaab, an Al-Qaeda affiliate, is fighting to overthrow the internationally-backed Somali government in Mogadishu.

US, allied forces attacked in Somalia: Pentagon

US President Donald Trump will fail in his confrontation with Iran, just like Iraq's Saddam Hussein, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said on Saturday, referring to the war between the two Middle Eastern powers and vowing that Tehran will not abandon its missiles.

Tensions have ramped up between Iran and the United States after Trump withdrew from a landmark multilateral nuclear deal in May and reimposed sanctions on the Islamic Republic last month.

As Rouhani spoke, Iran began displaying its naval power in the Gulf during annual parades in the capital Tehran and the port of Bandar Abbas on the Gulf marking the start of the country’s 1980-88 war with Iraq.

Iran has suggested in recent weeks that it could take military action in the Gulf to block other countries’ oil exports in retaliation for US sanctions intended to halt its sales of crude.

Washington maintains a fleet in the Gulf that protects oil shipping routes.

"The same will happen to Trump. America will suffer the same fate as Saddam Hussein," Rouhani said in a speech carried live by state television.

"Iran will not abandon its defensive weapons ... including its missiles that make America so angry," Rouhani said.

State media said about 600 vessels took part in the Gulf naval drill on Saturday, a day after Iran held aerial exercises in the waterway, vowing that a "pounding reply" awaited the country's enemies.

US President Donald Trump will fail in his confrontation with Iran, just like Iraq's Saddam Hussein, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said on Saturday, referring to the war between the two Middle Eastern powers and vowing that Tehran will not abandon its missiles.

US President Donald Trump will fail in his confrontation with Iran, just like Iraq's Saddam Hussein, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said on Saturday, referring to the war between the two Middle Eastern powers and vowing that Tehran will not abandon its missiles. Tensions have ramped up between Iran and the United States after Trump withdrew from a landmark multilateral nuclear deal in May and reimposed sanctions on the Islamic Republic last month. As Rouhani spoke, Iran began displaying its naval power in the Gulf during annual parades in the capital Tehran and the port of Bandar Abbas on the Gulf marking the start of the country’s 1980-88 war with Iraq. Iran has suggested in recent weeks that it could take military action in the Gulf to block other countries’ oil exports in retaliation for US sanctions intended to halt its sales of crude. Washington maintains a fleet in the Gulf that protects oil shipping routes. "The same will happen to Trump. America will suffer the same fate as Saddam Hussein," Rouhani said in a speech carried live by state television. "Iran will not abandon its defensive weapons ... including its missiles that make America so angry," Rouhani said. State media said about 600 vessels took part in the Gulf naval drill on Saturday, a day after Iran held aerial exercises in the waterway, vowing that a "pounding reply" awaited the country's enemies.

Iran will defeat Trump just like it did Saddam, won't abandon missiles: Hassan Rouhani

Mexican President-elect Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador said Friday that his country will seek a bilateral trade deal with Canada if negotiations fall through for a new North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA).

The United States and Canada are holding a flurry of talks aimed at keeping NAFTA a three-country deal after the US and Mexico reached their own deal that President Donald Trump says may or may not end up including Ottawa.

But the latest round of negotiations ended Thursday with no signs of a compromise to bring Canada into the deal.

Mexico has repeatedly said it wants the updated version of the 25-year-old NAFTA to remain a three-country deal -- a stance reiterated by Lopez Obrador, who takes office on December 1.

But if all else fails, "we'd have to keep the deal (with the United States) and try to reach a similar one with Canada," he said in the northern state of Sonora.

"Obviously we can't cut ties with either."

The anti-establishment leftist, who won Mexico's July elections in a landslide, said he has had good relations so far with the Trump administration.

"I hope with all my heart it stays that way," he said.

"We're neighbours. We can't be distant neighbours. We have to achieve a relationship of respect and cooperation."

US-Mexican relations have been strained over Trump's anti-Mexican insults, his insistence on overhauling the "terrible" NAFTA deal, and his vows to make Mexico pay for a wall on the border.

But despite their ideological differences, Lopez Obrador and Trump have hit it off.

The leftist leader is known as "AMLO" has notably wooed the Republican billionaire with talk of stemming the flow of migration to the United States by promoting economic development in Mexico.

Lopez Obrador, 64, posted a video on Twitter from the border fence between Sonora and the US state of Arizona in which he vowed to keep would-be migrants on the Mexican side by launching an economic development corridor in the border region from January 1.

His plan, which would notably double the minimum wage and slash taxes along the border, would act as a "curtain," rather than a wall, to keep would-be migrants in Mexico, he said.

Mexican President-elect Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador said Friday that his country will seek a bilateral trade deal with Canada if negotiations fall through for a new North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA).

Mexican President-elect Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador said Friday that his country will seek a bilateral trade deal with Canada if negotiations fall through for a new North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). The United States and Canada are holding a flurry of talks aimed at keeping NAFTA a three-country deal after the US and Mexico reached their own deal that President Donald Trump says may or may not end up including Ottawa. But the latest round of negotiations ended Thursday with no signs of a compromise to bring Canada into the deal. Mexico has repeatedly said it wants the updated version of the 25-year-old NAFTA to remain a three-country deal -- a stance reiterated by Lopez Obrador, who takes office on December 1. But if all else fails, "we'd have to keep the deal (with the United States) and try to reach a similar one with Canada," he said in the northern state of Sonora. "Obviously we can't cut ties with either." The anti-establishment leftist, who won Mexico's July elections in a landslide, said he has had good relations so far with the Trump administration. "I hope with all my heart it stays that way," he said. "We're neighbours. We can't be distant neighbours. We have to achieve a relationship of respect and cooperation." US-Mexican relations have been strained over Trump's anti-Mexican insults, his insistence on overhauling the "terrible" NAFTA deal, and his vows to make Mexico pay for a wall on the border. But despite their ideological differences, Lopez Obrador and Trump have hit it off. The leftist leader is known as "AMLO" has notably wooed the Republican billionaire with talk of stemming the flow of migration to the United States by promoting economic development in Mexico. Lopez Obrador, 64, posted a video on Twitter from the border fence between Sonora and the US state of Arizona in which he vowed to keep would-be migrants on the Mexican side by launching an economic development corridor in the border region from January 1. His plan, which would notably double the minimum wage and slash taxes along the border, would act as a "curtain," rather than a wall, to keep would-be migrants in Mexico, he said.

Mexico's 'AMLO' wants two-way deal with Canada if NAFTA fails

The United States is optimistic about finding a way forward in its trade dispute with China, but it does not have a date scheduled for further talks as it assesses Beijing's response to the latest round of tariffs, a senior White House official said on Friday.

The official said despite its protestations, China was well aware of US&nbsp;demands it halt what Washington considers unfair trade practices. US&nbsp;President Donald Trump has made clear his resolve on the issue, the official said, and the two sides remain in touch.

"We have been very clear in all of these meetings about what is ... required," the official said. "I am still optimistic that there is a positive way forward, and the president wants us to continue to engage to try to achieve a positive way forward."

The official's comments came ahead of a report by the Wall Street Journal that China had cancelled mid-level trade talks with the United States, as well as a proposed visit to Washington by vice premier Liu He originally scheduled for next week.

Earlier this week, China added $60 billion of US&nbsp;products to its import tariff list as it hit back at US&nbsp;duties on $200 billion of Chinese goods that go into effect from Sept. 24. The escalating trade dispute has spooked financial markets.

Speaking to reporters at the White House on condition of anonymity, the official made clear the administration's ultimate goal was not to separate the interlinked US&nbsp;and Chinese economies, but he said companies could choose to alter their supply chains if Beijing did not change course.

"Our goal here is not to cleave off the Chinese market from the US&nbsp;market, I don't think that's good for long-term growth," he said. "In the short term there is of course a risk that if China continues on the path it is, that some companies as a result of this may start ... to move supply chains."

The official also said he hoped Canada would agree to join a US-Mexico trade deal by the end of the month while saying he thought US&nbsp;lawmakers would support a bilateral deal with Mexico if that did not happen.

US&nbsp;and Canadian officials have been engaged in talks to modernize the North American Free Trade Agreement, a 1994 deal that underpins $1.2 trillion in trade between the United States, Canada and Mexico.

The official dismissed concerns separate deals with Canada and Mexico would have a negative impact on supply chains.

"I think it's overblown to say that if we have separate deals with these two, that there still can't be a really high degree of integration," he said.

The United States is optimistic about finding a way forward in its trade dispute with China, but it does not have a date scheduled for further talks as it assesses Beijing's response to the latest round of tariffs, a senior White House official said on Friday.

The United States is optimistic about finding a way forward in its trade dispute with China, but it does not have a date scheduled for further talks as it assesses Beijing's response to the latest round of tariffs, a senior White House official said on Friday. The official said despite its protestations, China was well aware of US demands it halt what Washington considers unfair trade practices. US President Donald Trump has made clear his resolve on the issue, the official said, and the two sides remain in touch. "We have been very clear in all of these meetings about what is ... required," the official said. "I am still optimistic that there is a positive way forward, and the president wants us to continue to engage to try to achieve a positive way forward." The official's comments came ahead of a report by the Wall Street Journal that China had cancelled mid-level trade talks with the United States, as well as a proposed visit to Washington by vice premier Liu He originally scheduled for next week. Earlier this week, China added $60 billion of US products to its import tariff list as it hit back at US duties on $200 billion of Chinese goods that go into effect from Sept. 24. The escalating trade dispute has spooked financial markets. Speaking to reporters at the White House on condition of anonymity, the official made clear the administration's ultimate goal was not to separate the interlinked US and Chinese economies, but he said companies could choose to alter their supply chains if Beijing did not change course. "Our goal here is not to cleave off the Chinese market from the US market, I don't think that's good for long-term growth," he said. "In the short term there is of course a risk that if China continues on the path it is, that some companies as a result of this may start ... to move supply chains." The official also said he hoped Canada would agree to join a US-Mexico trade deal by the end of the month while saying he thought US lawmakers would support a bilateral deal with Mexico if that did not happen. US and Canadian officials have been engaged in talks to modernize the North American Free Trade Agreement, a 1994 deal that underpins $1.2 trillion in trade between the United States, Canada and Mexico. The official dismissed concerns separate deals with Canada and Mexico would have a negative impact on supply chains. "I think it's overblown to say that if we have separate deals with these two, that there still can't be a really high degree of integration," he said.

White House optimistic on China trade; no date for more talks

US: China is treating minorities horribly 

Trump addresses campaign rally in Las Vegas 

Iran hit back at a US&nbsp;offer of negotiations on Thursday, saying Washington had violated the terms of the last big deal they agreed, the 2015 nuclear accord.

US&nbsp;President Donald Trump pulled out of that nuclear accord - which curbed Iran's atomic activities in return for sanctions relief - in May, saying it did not go far enough.

The US&nbsp;special envoy for Iran, Brian Hook, said on Wednesday that Washington now wanted to negotiate a treaty that included Tehran's ballistic missile programme and its regional behaviour.

Hook said the new deal that Washington hoped to sign with Iran, would not be a "personal agreement between two governments like the last one, we seek a treaty."

Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif took to Twitter to dismiss the characterisation of last deal as a "personal agreement", saying it was "an int'l accord enshrined in a UN (Security Council resolution)".

"US&nbsp;has violated its treaty obligations too... Apparently, U.S. only mocks calls for peace," he added in the message that was attached to a video of a protester who took to the stage after Hook's speech, shouting that sanctions were hurting Iranian people.

The five other world powers that signed the 2015 accord with Iran - France, Germany, Britain, China and Russia - have been trying to salvage it, saying it offers the best chance to stop Iran developing a nuclear bomb. Tehran says its nuclear work is for electricity generation and other peaceful purposes.

Iran hit back at a US offer of negotiations on Thursday, saying Washington had violated the terms of the last big deal they agreed, the 2015 nuclear accord. US President Donald Trump pulled out of that nuclear accord - which curbed Iran's atomic activities in return for sanctions relief - in May, saying it did not go far enough.

Iran hit back at a US offer of negotiations on Thursday, saying Washington had violated the terms of the last big deal they agreed, the 2015 nuclear accord. US President Donald Trump pulled out of that nuclear accord - which curbed Iran's atomic activities in return for sanctions relief - in May, saying it did not go far enough. The US special envoy for Iran, Brian Hook, said on Wednesday that Washington now wanted to negotiate a treaty that included Tehran's ballistic missile programme and its regional behaviour. Hook said the new deal that Washington hoped to sign with Iran, would not be a "personal agreement between two governments like the last one, we seek a treaty." Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif took to Twitter to dismiss the characterisation of last deal as a "personal agreement", saying it was "an int'l accord enshrined in a UN (Security Council resolution)". "US has violated its treaty obligations too... Apparently, U.S. only mocks calls for peace," he added in the message that was attached to a video of a protester who took to the stage after Hook's speech, shouting that sanctions were hurting Iranian people. The five other world powers that signed the 2015 accord with Iran - France, Germany, Britain, China and Russia - have been trying to salvage it, saying it offers the best chance to stop Iran developing a nuclear bomb. Tehran says its nuclear work is for electricity generation and other peaceful purposes.

Iran dismisses US offer of talks, says Washington broke last deal

After the historic summit between Donald Trump and Kim Jong Un, President Vladimir Putin has invited North Korea leader to visit Russia.

He conveyed the invitation to Kim Jong Un through a senior North Korean official.

His invitation was followed after he praised the results of his summit with Donald Trump.

While hosting North Korea's ceremonial head of state, Kim Yong Nam,&nbspPutin said the historic summit with the US president was "without doubt just the first step towards a full-blown settlement".

He further said, "Thanks to this meeting a possible negative scenario has been cast aside. Certainly it creates conditions for further forward movement and decreases general tensions around the Korean peninsula".

The historic summit between Kim and Trump was held on Tuesday in Singapore.

The&nbspunprecedented encounter saw the leader of the world's most powerful democracy shake hands with the third-generation scion of a dynastic dictatorship.&nbsp

Putin said he would be happy to welcome Kim to Russia, suggesting they meet during an economic forum in the far eastern port city of Vladivostok this September.

The youthful North Korean leader has never visited Russia. His father, however,&nbspKim Jong-Il, travelled to the country in his armoured train in 2011 for talks with Dmitry Medvedev, Russia's president at the time.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov is the first ever Russian official to meet Kim when he travelled to Pyongyang in late May.

The two countries share a short land border and have a history of long-standing ties.

&nbsp

(With inputs from AFP)

While hosting North Korea's ceremonial head of state, Kim Yong Nam, Putin said the historic summit with the US president was 'without doubt just the first step towards a full-blown settlement'

After the historic summit between Donald Trump and Kim Jong Un, President Vladimir Putin has invited North Korea leader to visit Russia. He conveyed the invitation to Kim Jong Un through a senior North Korean official. His invitation was followed after he praised the results of his summit with Donald Trump. While hosting North Korea's ceremonial head of state, Kim Yong Nam,&nbspPutin said the historic summit with the US president was "without doubt just the first step towards a full-blown settlement". He further said, "Thanks to this meeting a possible negative scenario has been cast aside. Certainly it creates conditions for further forward movement and decreases general tensions around the Korean peninsula". The historic summit between Kim and Trump was held on Tuesday in Singapore. The&nbspunprecedented encounter saw the leader of the world's most powerful democracy shake hands with the third-generation scion of a dynastic dictatorship. Putin said he would be happy to welcome Kim to Russia, suggesting they meet during an economic forum in the far eastern port city of Vladivostok this September. The youthful North Korean leader has never visited Russia. His father, however,&nbspKim Jong-Il, travelled to the country in his armoured train in 2011 for talks with Dmitry Medvedev, Russia's president at the time. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov is the first ever Russian official to meet Kim when he travelled to Pyongyang in late May. The two countries share a short land border and have a history of long-standing ties. (With inputs from AFP)

Putin invites Kim to Russia, praises Trump summit

The US&nbspSupreme Court sided with the Trump administration and against China on Thursday on a disputed aspect of their fraught trade relationship, throwing out a lower court ruling that had allowed two Chinese vitamin C makers to escape $148 million in damages for violating American antitrust law.

In a case that brought the trade conflict between the world's two largest economies before the top US&nbspcourt, the justices ruled 9-0 that the lower court gave too much deference to Chinese government filings in the case explaining China's regulatory policy.

The justices sent the case back for reconsideration by the New York-based 2nd US&nbspCircuit Court of Appeals, which in 2016 threw out the damages won by two American vitamin C buyers.

Writing for the court, Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg wrote that while US&nbspcourts should give "respectful consideration" to a foreign government's interpretation of its own law, they are not "bound to accord conclusive effect to the foreign government's statements."

Lawyers for the US&nbspand Chinese governments faced off in April before the justices. The Supreme Court took the unusual step of letting China present arguments even though it is not an official party in the case, a privilege typically reserved for the US&nbspJustice Department.

The price-fixing case dates back to 2005 when Texas-based Animal Science Products Inc and New Jersey-based The Ranis Co Inc accused Hebei Welcome Pharmaceutical and North China Pharmaceutical Group and other Chinese vitamin C makers of antitrust violations.

China intervened in the case, asking the trial court to dismiss the allegations in part because its laws had forced Chinese companies to comply with government-mandated pricing regimes.

A US&nbspfederal judge questioned the credibility of the Chinese submissions and, after a 2013 jury trial, awarded the two American companies $147.8 million in damages.

The New York-based 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals overturned the judgment in 2016, saying that when a foreign government directly participates in a case American courts are obligated to defer to that country's characterization of its own laws.

The Supreme Court itself did not weigh in on the correct interpretation of Chinese law, but Ginsburg said questions remained over "whether Chinese law required the Chinese sellers' conduct."

China and the United States are locked in a simmering trade dispute. President Donald Trump has accused China of unfair trade practices and threatened to impose tariffs on up to $150 billion in Chinese goods over allegations of intellectual property theft. China has warned of retaliation.

In a case that brought the trade conflict between the world's two largest economies before the top US court, the justices ruled 9-0 that the lower court gave too much deference to Chinese government filings in the case explaining China's regulatory policy.

The US&nbspSupreme Court sided with the Trump administration and against China on Thursday on a disputed aspect of their fraught trade relationship, throwing out a lower court ruling that had allowed two Chinese vitamin C makers to escape $148 million in damages for violating American antitrust law. In a case that brought the trade conflict between the world's two largest economies before the top US&nbspcourt, the justices ruled 9-0 that the lower court gave too much deference to Chinese government filings in the case explaining China's regulatory policy. The justices sent the case back for reconsideration by the New York-based 2nd US&nbspCircuit Court of Appeals, which in 2016 threw out the damages won by two American vitamin C buyers. Writing for the court, Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg wrote that while US&nbspcourts should give "respectful consideration" to a foreign government's interpretation of its own law, they are not "bound to accord conclusive effect to the foreign government's statements." Lawyers for the US&nbspand Chinese governments faced off in April before the justices. The Supreme Court took the unusual step of letting China present arguments even though it is not an official party in the case, a privilege typically reserved for the US&nbspJustice Department. The price-fixing case dates back to 2005 when Texas-based Animal Science Products Inc and New Jersey-based The Ranis Co Inc accused Hebei Welcome Pharmaceutical and North China Pharmaceutical Group and other Chinese vitamin C makers of antitrust violations. China intervened in the case, asking the trial court to dismiss the allegations in part because its laws had forced Chinese companies to comply with government-mandated pricing regimes. A US&nbspfederal judge questioned the credibility of the Chinese submissions and, after a 2013 jury trial, awarded the two American companies $147.8 million in damages. The New York-based 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals overturned the judgment in 2016, saying that when a foreign government directly participates in a case American courts are obligated to defer to that country's characterization of its own laws. The Supreme Court itself did not weigh in on the correct interpretation of Chinese law, but Ginsburg said questions remained over "whether Chinese law required the Chinese sellers' conduct." China and the United States are locked in a simmering trade dispute. President Donald Trump has accused China of unfair trade practices and threatened to impose tariffs on up to $150 billion in Chinese goods over allegations of intellectual property theft. China has warned of retaliation.

US Supreme Court hands Trump win in China antitrust case

China urged the United States on Thursday to make a "wise decision" on trade, saying it was ready to respond in case Washington chose confrontation, as US&nbspPresident Donald prepares to decide whether to activate tariffs on Chinese goods.

Trump is due to unveil revisions to his initial tariff list targeting $50 billion of Chinese goods on Friday. People familiar with the revisions said the list would be slightly smaller than the original, with some goods deleted and others added, particularly in the technology sector.

Another administration official said a draft document showed the new list would still be close to $50 billion, with about 1,300 product categories, but both the dollar amount and quantity of products were still subject to change.

Speaking to reporters in Beijing, with US&nbspSecretary of State Mike Pompeo at his side, the Chinese government's top diplomat, State Councillor Wang Yi, said there were two choices when it came to the trade issue.

"The first choice is cooperation and mutual benefit. The other choice is confrontation and mutual loss. China chooses the first," Wang said. "We hope the US&nbspside can also make the same wise choice. Of course, we have also made preparations to respond to the second kind of choice."

The move toward activating US&nbsptariffs on Chinese goods follows negotiations between US&nbspand Chinese officials centred on increased purchases by Beijing of American farm and energy commodities and cutting the US&nbsptrade deficit with China.

Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross this month met Chinese officials in Beijing and brought back a Chinese proposal to buy around $70 billion worth of additional commodities and manufactured goods. But that offer has not been accepted by Trump, people familiar with the matter said.

Wang said a basic consensus reached by the two countries during the recent talks was a pact to use "constructive means" to handle disagreements.

"We hope the US&nbspside can meet China halfway and earnestly implement this important consensus, and promote the appropriate resolution of the relevant issue through a win-win and not lose-lose manner," he said.

"In this process, we hope the US&nbspside does not unilaterally take any non-constructive actions, and does not create new obstacles for the next phase of consultations."&nbsp

Pompeo said the US&nbspdeficit with China was still too high, but that they had had good talks.

"I stressed how important it is for President Trump to rectify that situation so that trade becomes more balanced, more reciprocal and more fair, with the opportunity to have American workers be treated fairly. We had good and constructive discussions."

Pompeo struck a warm tone with Chinese President Xi Jinping, at a meeting later in the evening, including wishing him a happy birthday for Friday - eliciting a chuckle and a "thank you" from Xi.

"President Trump asked me to send his regards. I have watched your interactions. He truly values the relationship personally between the two of you and the relationship between our two countries," Pompeo said.

&nbsp

MOVE COULD COME FRIDAY

It remains unclear when Trump would activate the tariffs, if he decides to do so. Several industry lobbyists told Reuters they expected the move to come as early as Friday, with publication of a Federal Register notice, or it could be put off until next week.

If Washington adopts tariffs, Beijing is expected to hit back with its own duties on US&nbspimports, including soybeans, cars, chemicals and planes, according to a list it released in early April.

Under the 1974 trade law that Trump invoked to pursue a tariff investigation into China's intellectual property practices, he could delay the activation by 30 days. He can also delay the tariffs by another 180 days if the US&nbspTrade Representative's office finds negotiations with China are yielding progress.

"The president's trade team has recommended tariffs. If there are not tariffs, it will be because the president has decided that he's not ready to implement tariffs," a person familiar with the administration's deliberations told Reuters.

But that recommendation came prior to Trump's trip late last week to Canada for the G7 leaders' summit and to Singapore for talks with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un to defuse a nuclear standoff on the Korean peninsula.

Trump returned to Washington early on Wednesday morning. In an interview aired on Wednesday, Trump told Fox News that he was "very strongly clamping down on trade" with China.

Asked how strong, Trump said: "Well, I think very strongly. I mean you'll see over the next couple of weeks. They understand what we are doing."

Trump did not specifically mention the tariffs and added that he had "a very good relationship with President Xi (Jinping) of China".

The administration's trade hawks, including U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer and White House trade and manufacturing adviser Peter Navarro, have advocated a tougher approach to address U.S. allegations that China has misappropriated American intellectual property through joint venture requirements, state-backed acquisitions of U.S. technology firms and outright theft.

Amid the rising trade tension, China's Commerce Ministry spokesman Gao Feng said Chinese exporters have been front-loading their shipments due to changes in the international trade environment.

Trump is due to unveil revisions to his initial tariff list targeting $50 billion of Chinese goods on Friday.

China urged the United States on Thursday to make a "wise decision" on trade, saying it was ready to respond in case Washington chose confrontation, as US&nbspPresident Donald prepares to decide whether to activate tariffs on Chinese goods. Trump is due to unveil revisions to his initial tariff list targeting $50 billion of Chinese goods on Friday. People familiar with the revisions said the list would be slightly smaller than the original, with some goods deleted and others added, particularly in the technology sector. Another administration official said a draft document showed the new list would still be close to $50 billion, with about 1,300 product categories, but both the dollar amount and quantity of products were still subject to change. Speaking to reporters in Beijing, with US&nbspSecretary of State Mike Pompeo at his side, the Chinese government's top diplomat, State Councillor Wang Yi, said there were two choices when it came to the trade issue. "The first choice is cooperation and mutual benefit. The other choice is confrontation and mutual loss. China chooses the first," Wang said. "We hope the US&nbspside can also make the same wise choice. Of course, we have also made preparations to respond to the second kind of choice." The move toward activating US&nbsptariffs on Chinese goods follows negotiations between US&nbspand Chinese officials centred on increased purchases by Beijing of American farm and energy commodities and cutting the US&nbsptrade deficit with China. Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross this month met Chinese officials in Beijing and brought back a Chinese proposal to buy around $70 billion worth of additional commodities and manufactured goods. But that offer has not been accepted by Trump, people familiar with the matter said. Wang said a basic consensus reached by the two countries during the recent talks was a pact to use "constructive means" to handle disagreements. "We hope the US&nbspside can meet China halfway and earnestly implement this important consensus, and promote the appropriate resolution of the relevant issue through a win-win and not lose-lose manner," he said. "In this process, we hope the US&nbspside does not unilaterally take any non-constructive actions, and does not create new obstacles for the next phase of consultations." Pompeo said the US&nbspdeficit with China was still too high, but that they had had good talks. "I stressed how important it is for President Trump to rectify that situation so that trade becomes more balanced, more reciprocal and more fair, with the opportunity to have American workers be treated fairly. We had good and constructive discussions." Pompeo struck a warm tone with Chinese President Xi Jinping, at a meeting later in the evening, including wishing him a happy birthday for Friday - eliciting a chuckle and a "thank you" from Xi. "President Trump asked me to send his regards. I have watched your interactions. He truly values the relationship personally between the two of you and the relationship between our two countries," Pompeo said. MOVE COULD COME FRIDAY It remains unclear when Trump would activate the tariffs, if he decides to do so. Several industry lobbyists told Reuters they expected the move to come as early as Friday, with publication of a Federal Register notice, or it could be put off until next week. If Washington adopts tariffs, Beijing is expected to hit back with its own duties on US&nbspimports, including soybeans, cars, chemicals and planes, according to a list it released in early April. Under the 1974 trade law that Trump invoked to pursue a tariff investigation into China's intellectual property practices, he could delay the activation by 30 days. He can also delay the tariffs by another 180 days if the US&nbspTrade Representative's office finds negotiations with China are yielding progress. "The president's trade team has recommended tariffs. If there are not tariffs, it will be because the president has decided that he's not ready to implement tariffs," a person familiar with the administration's deliberations told Reuters. But that recommendation came prior to Trump's trip late last week to Canada for the G7 leaders' summit and to Singapore for talks with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un to defuse a nuclear standoff on the Korean peninsula. Trump returned to Washington early on Wednesday morning. In an interview aired on Wednesday, Trump told Fox News that he was "very strongly clamping down on trade" with China. Asked how strong, Trump said: "Well, I think very strongly. I mean you'll see over the next couple of weeks. They understand what we are doing." Trump did not specifically mention the tariffs and added that he had "a very good relationship with President Xi (Jinping) of China". The administration's trade hawks, including U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer and White House trade and manufacturing adviser Peter Navarro, have advocated a tougher approach to address U.S. allegations that China has misappropriated American intellectual property through joint venture requirements, state-backed acquisitions of U.S. technology firms and outright theft. Amid the rising trade tension, China's Commerce Ministry spokesman Gao Feng said Chinese exporters have been front-loading their shipments due to changes in the international trade environment.

China urges US to make 'wise choice' ahead of tariffs decision

Prime conditions for&nbsp;wildfires&nbsp;are&nbsp;forecast&nbsp;for Wednesday in the&nbsp;western&nbsp;United States, where firefighters are battling to gain control over several&nbsp;large&nbsp;blazes that have forced the evacuation of more than 4,400 homes.

Wind gusts up to 25 miles (40 km) per hour,&nbsp;temperatures&nbsp;in the mid-80s Fahrenheit (around 30 Celsius) and humidity of less than 15 per cent are expected, the US&nbsp;Forest Service said.

The&nbsp;largest and most threatening blaze, the 416 Fire, has scorched more than 23,000 acres (9,460 hectares) of drought-parched grass, brush and timber at the edge of the San Juan National Forest near the southwestern&nbsp;Colorado town of Durango.

Fire crews managed to extend containment lines to 15 per cent of the fire's perimeter on Tuesday.

Some 2,150 homes there remained under evacuation orders and residents of another 500 homes were advised they might have to flee at short notice, La Plata County officials said.

The 416 Fire and a separate blaze&nbsp;burning nearby, the Burro Fire, also prompted state parks officials to close several wildlife areas to the public. The US&nbsp;Forest Service shut down all 1.8 million acres of the San Juan National Forest to visitors on Tuesday.

Across the state about 60 miles (95 km) west of Denver, a newer blaze called the Buffalo Mountain Fire prompted the evacuation of 1,380 homes after blackening 100 acres, officials in Summit County said.

Firefighters were hoping for some relief from a promising shift in weather patterns&nbsp;forecast&nbsp;for Friday, some of it associated with Hurricane Bud.

Meanwhile, at least seven major&nbsp;wildfires&nbsp;were raging in parts of Colorado, marking the biggest concentration of roughly 30 blazes&nbsp;burning across nine&nbsp;Western&nbsp;states.

In southern Wyoming near the Colorado border, the Badger Creek Fire in Medicine Bow National Forest has grown to 5,200 acres, as evacuation orders were expanded to nearly 400 homes in Albany County, according to the Inciweb online US&nbsp;fire information service.

Fire crews managed to extend containment lines to 15 per cent of the fire's perimeter on Tuesday

Prime conditions for wildfires are forecast for Wednesday in the western United States, where firefighters are battling to gain control over several large blazes that have forced the evacuation of more than 4,400 homes. Wind gusts up to 25 miles (40 km) per hour, temperatures in the mid-80s Fahrenheit (around 30 Celsius) and humidity of less than 15 per cent are expected, the US Forest Service said. The largest and most threatening blaze, the 416 Fire, has scorched more than 23,000 acres (9,460 hectares) of drought-parched grass, brush and timber at the edge of the San Juan National Forest near the southwestern Colorado town of Durango. Fire crews managed to extend containment lines to 15 per cent of the fire's perimeter on Tuesday. Some 2,150 homes there remained under evacuation orders and residents of another 500 homes were advised they might have to flee at short notice, La Plata County officials said. The 416 Fire and a separate blaze burning nearby, the Burro Fire, also prompted state parks officials to close several wildlife areas to the public. The US Forest Service shut down all 1.8 million acres of the San Juan National Forest to visitors on Tuesday. Across the state about 60 miles (95 km) west of Denver, a newer blaze called the Buffalo Mountain Fire prompted the evacuation of 1,380 homes after blackening 100 acres, officials in Summit County said. Firefighters were hoping for some relief from a promising shift in weather patterns forecast for Friday, some of it associated with Hurricane Bud. Meanwhile, at least seven major wildfires were raging in parts of Colorado, marking the biggest concentration of roughly 30 blazes burning across nine Western states. In southern Wyoming near the Colorado border, the Badger Creek Fire in Medicine Bow National Forest has grown to 5,200 acres, as evacuation orders were expanded to nearly 400 homes in Albany County, according to the Inciweb online US fire information service.

Winds, high temperatures forecast as large wildfires burn in western US

North&nbsp;Korean state media lauded on Wednesday the&nbsp;summit&nbsp;between Kim Jong Un and Donald&nbsp;Trump&nbsp;as a resounding success, highlighting&nbsp;concessions&nbsp;by the US&nbsp;president and the prospect of a new era of peace and prosperity on the&nbsp;Korean peninsula.

The&nbsp;Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported that&nbsp;Trump&nbsp;expressed his intention to halt US-South&nbsp;Korea&nbsp;military exercises, offer security guarantees to the&nbsp;North&nbsp;and lift sanctions against it as relations improve.

The US president told a news conference on Tuesday,&nbsp;after&nbsp;his&nbsp;summit&nbsp;with&nbsp;North&nbsp;Korea's leader in Singapore, he would like to lift sanctions against it but it would not happen immediately.

Kim and&nbsp;Trump&nbsp;invited each other to their respective countries and both leaders "gladly accepted", KCNA reported.

The&nbsp;summit&nbsp;was the first between a sitting US&nbsp;president and a&nbsp;North&nbsp;Korean leader and followed a flurry of&nbsp;North&nbsp;Korean nuclear and missile tests and angry exchanges of insults and threats between&nbsp;Trump&nbsp;and Kim last year that fuelled fears of&nbsp;war.

"Kim Jong Un and&nbsp;Trump&nbsp;had the shared recognition to the effect that it is important to abide by the principle of step-by-step and simultaneous action in achieving peace, stability and denuclearisation of the&nbsp;Korean Peninsula," KCNA said.

Trump&nbsp;confirmed the United States would stop military exercises with South&nbsp;Korea&nbsp;while&nbsp;NorthKorea&nbsp;negotiated on denuclearisation.

"We're not going to be doing the&nbsp;war&nbsp;games&nbsp;as long as we're negotiating in good faith,"&nbsp;Trump told Fox News Channel in an interview in Singapore&nbsp;after&nbsp;the&nbsp;summit.

"So that's good for a number of reasons, in addition to which we save a tremendous amount of money,"&nbsp;Trump&nbsp;said.&nbsp;"You know, those things, they cost.&nbsp;I hate to appear a businessman, but I kept saying, what's it costing?"

US&nbsp;Republican Senator Lindsey Graham said&nbsp;Trump's reasoning for halting the exercises was "ridiculous".

"It's not a burden onto the American taxpayer to have a forward deployed force in South&nbsp;Korea," Graham told CNN.

"It brings stability. It's a&nbsp;warning to China that you can't just take over the whole region. So I reject that analysis that it costs too much, but I do accept the proposition, let's stand down (on military exercises) and see if we can find a better way here."

Speaking in Beijing, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said he hoped all parties could "grasp the moment of positive changes" on the peninsula to take constructive steps towards a political resolution and promoting denuclearisation.

"At this time, everyone had seen that&nbsp;North&nbsp;Korea&nbsp;has halted missile and nuclear tests, and the United States and South&nbsp;Korea&nbsp;have to an extent restricted their military actions. This has de facto realised China's dual suspension proposal," he told a daily news briefing.

"When it comes to&nbsp;Trump's statement yesterday that he would halt South&nbsp;Korea&nbsp;and the United States' military drills, I can only say that China's proposal is indeed practical and reasonable, is in line with all sides interests and can resolve all sides concerns."

China,&nbsp;North&nbsp;Korea's main ally, last year proposed what it calls a "dual suspension", whereby North&nbsp;Korea&nbsp;suspend nuclear and missile tests, and South&nbsp;Korea&nbsp;and the United States suspend military drills.

Surprise

There was some confusion over precisely what military cooperation with South&nbsp;Korea&nbsp;Trump&nbsp;had promised to halt.

The US-South&nbsp;Korean exercise calendar hits a high point every year with the Foal Eagle and Max Thunder drills, which both wrapped up last month. Another major exercise is due in August.

The United States maintains about 28,500 soldiers in South&nbsp;Korea, which remains in a technical state of&nbsp;war&nbsp;with the&nbsp;North&nbsp;after&nbsp;the 1950-53&nbsp;Korean&nbsp;War&nbsp;ended in a truce not a peace treaty.

Trump's announcement on the exercises was a surprise even to South&nbsp;Korea's President Moon Jae-in, who has worked in recent months to help bring about the&nbsp;Trump-Kim&nbsp;summit.

Asked about&nbsp;Trump's comments, South&nbsp;Korean presidential spokesman Kim Eui-kyeom told reporters there was a need to seek measures that would help improve engagement with&nbsp;North Korea&nbsp;but it was also necessary to confirm exactly what&nbsp;Trump&nbsp;had meant.

Moon will be chairing a national security meeting on Thursday to discuss the&nbsp;summit.

Trump's administration had previously ruled out any&nbsp;concessions&nbsp;or lifting of sanctions without North&nbsp;Korea's commitment to complete, verifiable and irreversible steps to scrap a nuclear arsenal that is advanced enough to threaten the United States.

But a joint statement issued&nbsp;after&nbsp;the&nbsp;summit&nbsp;said only&nbsp;North&nbsp;Korea&nbsp;"commits to work towards the complete denuclearisation of the&nbsp;Korean peninsula".

Critics in the United States said&nbsp;Trump&nbsp;had given away too much at a meeting that gave Kim long-sought international standing.

The&nbsp;North&nbsp;Korean leader had been isolated, his country accused of widespread human rights abuses and under UN&nbsp;sanctions for its nuclear and ballistic missile programmes.

"For&nbsp;North&nbsp;Korea, they got exactly what they wanted," said Moon Seong-mook, a former SouthKorean military official current head of the Unification Strategy Centre in Seoul.

"They had a&nbsp;summit&nbsp;as a nuclear state with Kim on equal turf with&nbsp;Trump, got the United States to halt joint military exercises with South&nbsp;Korea. It's a win for Kim Jong Un."

US&nbsp;Secretary of State Mike Pompeo was due in Seoul on Wednesday. He is scheduled to meet Moon on Thursday and then hold a trilateral meeting with Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha and Japanese Foreign Minister Taro Kono.

Hope

Japan's Minister of Defence Itsunori Onodera said that, while&nbsp;North&nbsp;Korea&nbsp;had pledged denuclearisation, no concrete steps had been taken and Japan would not let down its guard.

"We see US-South&nbsp;Korean joint exercises and the US&nbsp;military presence in South&nbsp;Korea&nbsp;as vital to security in East Asia," Onodera told reporters. "It is up to the US&nbsp;and South&nbsp;Korea&nbsp;to decide about their joint exercises. We have no intention of changing our joint drills with the US."

Japan would only start shouldering the costs of&nbsp;North&nbsp;Korea's denuclearisation&nbsp;after&nbsp;the International Atomic Energy Agency restarts inspections, Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga told reporters.

The Singapore&nbsp;summit&nbsp;did not get top billing in the main state news outlets in China.

The ruling Communist Party's main newspaper, the People's Daily, published a brief report on the Chinese Foreign Ministry's reaction to the talks.

The English-language China Daily said in an editorial that, while it remained to be seen if the summit&nbsp;would be a defining moment, the fact it went smoothly was positive.

"It has ignited hopes that they will be finally able to put an end to their hostility and that the long-standing peninsula issues can finally be resolved. These hopes should not be extinguished," it said.

Kim and Trump invited each other to their respective countries and both leaders 'gladly accepted', KCNA reported

North Korean state media lauded on Wednesday the summit between Kim Jong Un and Donald Trump as a resounding success, highlighting concessions by the US president and the prospect of a new era of peace and prosperity on the Korean peninsula. The Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported that Trump expressed his intention to halt US-South Korea military exercises, offer security guarantees to the North and lift sanctions against it as relations improve. The US president told a news conference on Tuesday, after his summit with North Korea's leader in Singapore, he would like to lift sanctions against it but it would not happen immediately. Kim and Trump invited each other to their respective countries and both leaders "gladly accepted", KCNA reported. The summit was the first between a sitting US president and a North Korean leader and followed a flurry of North Korean nuclear and missile tests and angry exchanges of insults and threats between Trump and Kim last year that fuelled fears of war. "Kim Jong Un and Trump had the shared recognition to the effect that it is important to abide by the principle of step-by-step and simultaneous action in achieving peace, stability and denuclearisation of the Korean Peninsula," KCNA said. Trump confirmed the United States would stop military exercises with South Korea while NorthKorea negotiated on denuclearisation. "We're not going to be doing the war games as long as we're negotiating in good faith," Trump told Fox News Channel in an interview in Singapore after the summit. "So that's good for a number of reasons, in addition to which we save a tremendous amount of money," Trump said. "You know, those things, they cost. I hate to appear a businessman, but I kept saying, what's it costing?" US Republican Senator Lindsey Graham said Trump's reasoning for halting the exercises was "ridiculous". "It's not a burden onto the American taxpayer to have a forward deployed force in South Korea," Graham told CNN. "It brings stability. It's a warning to China that you can't just take over the whole region. So I reject that analysis that it costs too much, but I do accept the proposition, let's stand down (on military exercises) and see if we can find a better way here." Speaking in Beijing, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said he hoped all parties could "grasp the moment of positive changes" on the peninsula to take constructive steps towards a political resolution and promoting denuclearisation. "At this time, everyone had seen that North Korea has halted missile and nuclear tests, and the United States and South Korea have to an extent restricted their military actions. This has de facto realised China's dual suspension proposal," he told a daily news briefing. "When it comes to Trump's statement yesterday that he would halt South Korea and the United States' military drills, I can only say that China's proposal is indeed practical and reasonable, is in line with all sides interests and can resolve all sides concerns." China, North Korea's main ally, last year proposed what it calls a "dual suspension", whereby North Korea suspend nuclear and missile tests, and South Korea and the United States suspend military drills. Surprise There was some confusion over precisely what military cooperation with South Korea Trump had promised to halt. The US-South Korean exercise calendar hits a high point every year with the Foal Eagle and Max Thunder drills, which both wrapped up last month. Another major exercise is due in August. The United States maintains about 28,500 soldiers in South Korea, which remains in a technical state of war with the North after the 1950-53 Korean War ended in a truce not a peace treaty. Trump's announcement on the exercises was a surprise even to South Korea's President Moon Jae-in, who has worked in recent months to help bring about the Trump-Kim summit. Asked about Trump's comments, South Korean presidential spokesman Kim Eui-kyeom told reporters there was a need to seek measures that would help improve engagement with North Korea but it was also necessary to confirm exactly what Trump had meant. Moon will be chairing a national security meeting on Thursday to discuss the summit. Trump's administration had previously ruled out any concessions or lifting of sanctions without North Korea's commitment to complete, verifiable and irreversible steps to scrap a nuclear arsenal that is advanced enough to threaten the United States. But a joint statement issued after the summit said only North Korea "commits to work towards the complete denuclearisation of the Korean peninsula". Critics in the United States said Trump had given away too much at a meeting that gave Kim long-sought international standing. The North Korean leader had been isolated, his country accused of widespread human rights abuses and under UN sanctions for its nuclear and ballistic missile programmes. "For North Korea, they got exactly what they wanted," said Moon Seong-mook, a former SouthKorean military official current head of the Unification Strategy Centre in Seoul. "They had a summit as a nuclear state with Kim on equal turf with Trump, got the United States to halt joint military exercises with South Korea. It's a win for Kim Jong Un." US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo was due in Seoul on Wednesday. He is scheduled to meet Moon on Thursday and then hold a trilateral meeting with Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha and Japanese Foreign Minister Taro Kono. Hope Japan's Minister of Defence Itsunori Onodera said that, while North Korea had pledged denuclearisation, no concrete steps had been taken and Japan would not let down its guard. "We see US-South Korean joint exercises and the US military presence in South Korea as vital to security in East Asia," Onodera told reporters. "It is up to the US and South Korea to decide about their joint exercises. We have no intention of changing our joint drills with the US." Japan would only start shouldering the costs of North Korea's denuclearisation after the International Atomic Energy Agency restarts inspections, Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga told reporters. The Singapore summit did not get top billing in the main state news outlets in China. The ruling Communist Party's main newspaper, the People's Daily, published a brief report on the Chinese Foreign Ministry's reaction to the talks. The English-language China Daily said in an editorial that, while it remained to be seen if the summit would be a defining moment, the fact it went smoothly was positive. "It has ignited hopes that they will be finally able to put an end to their hostility and that the long-standing peninsula issues can finally be resolved. These hopes should not be extinguished," it said.

North Korea highlights Trump concessions on war games after summit

The UN&nbsp;nuclear&nbsp;watchdog&nbsp;welcomed the joint statement of US&nbsp;President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong&nbsp;Un&nbsp;on Tuesday and said it was prepared to undertake verification activities.

Trump and Kim pledged to work toward complete denuclearisation of the Korean peninsula and Washington committed to provide security guarantees.

"The International Atomic Energy Agency stands&nbsp;ready&nbsp;to&nbsp;undertake any verification activities in the DPRK (North Korea) that it may be requested to conduct by the countries concerned, subject to authorization by the IAEA’s Board of Governors," Director General Yukiya Amano said in a statement.

Trump and Kim pledged to work toward complete denuclearisation of the Korean peninsula and Washington committed to provide security guarantees.

The UN nuclear watchdog welcomed the joint statement of US President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un on Tuesday and said it was prepared to undertake verification activities. Trump and Kim pledged to work toward complete denuclearisation of the Korean peninsula and Washington committed to provide security guarantees. "The International Atomic Energy Agency stands ready to undertake any verification activities in the DPRK (North Korea) that it may be requested to conduct by the countries concerned, subject to authorization by the IAEA’s Board of Governors," Director General Yukiya Amano said in a statement.

UN nuclear watchdog says ready to help North Korea denuclearisation

Iran's spokesman Mohammad Bagher Nobakht has warned North Korea against accepting any nuclear deal with U.S. President Donald Trump. Nobakht was quoted by a news agency describing US President Donald Trump as a man "who revokes his signature while abroad," Reuters reported.&nbsp

Meanwhile, Russia has a positive assessment of the deal between US&nbspPresident Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, but "the devil is in the detail", TASS news agency cited Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov as saying on Tuesday.

"Now we can only welcome the fact that an important step forward has been made. Of course, the devil is in the detail, and we have yet to delve into specifics. But the impulse, as far as we understand, has been given," Ryabkov said.

(With inputs from Reuters)&nbsp

Meanwhile, Russia has a positive assessment of the deal between US President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un

Iran's spokesman Mohammad Bagher Nobakht has warned North Korea against accepting any nuclear deal with U.S. President Donald Trump. Nobakht was quoted by a news agency describing US President Donald Trump as a man "who revokes his signature while abroad," Reuters reported. Meanwhile, Russia has a positive assessment of the deal between US&nbspPresident Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, but "the devil is in the detail", TASS news agency cited Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov as saying on Tuesday. "Now we can only welcome the fact that an important step forward has been made. Of course, the devil is in the detail, and we have yet to delve into specifics. But the impulse, as far as we understand, has been given," Ryabkov said. (With inputs from Reuters)

Iran warns North Korea on deal with United States: Report

Gold&nbsp;prices remained&nbsp;locked&nbsp;just&nbsp;below&nbsp;$1,300 an ounce on Tuesday as investors waited for clues on the pace of US&nbsp;interest rate rises from a&nbsp;Federal Reserve&nbsp;meeting this week.

A&nbsp;Fed&nbsp;statement and press conference expected from 1800 GMT on Wednesday could push&nbsp;gold out of the tight range of around $1,290-$1,305 in which it has been trapped since mid-May.

Gold&nbsp;is highly sensitive to interest rates because higher rates push up bond yields, making non-yielding&nbsp;gold&nbsp;less attractive, and tend to strengthen the dollar, increasing the cost of&nbsp;gold&nbsp;for buyers using other currencies.

Investors expect the&nbsp;Fed&nbsp;to increase rates on Wednesday but will be looking for hints at future policy. A more aggressive stance on monetary tightening would hurt&nbsp;gold.

"We are waiting for the FOMC," said Saxo Bank analyst Ole Hansen, referring to the&nbsp;Fed's policy committee.

Gold&nbsp;prices have tended to fall ahead of previous rate rises but recover afterwards, he said. "We're still erring towards the potential for a move higher here."

Spot&nbsp;gold&nbsp;was down 0.1 per cent at $1,298.15 an ounce at 1021 GMT, while US gold&nbsp;futures for August delivery were 0.1 per cent lower at $1,302 an ounce.

The dollar and US&nbsp;bond yields were also largely flat.

Adding to the wait-and-see mood for&nbsp;gold&nbsp;were expectations that the European Central Bank will signal a winding down of its vast bond-buying programme at a&nbsp;meeting&nbsp;on Thursday. This would likely help&nbsp;gold&nbsp;by boosting the euro and weakening the dollar.

Japan's central bank will also meet on June 14-15.

Gold&nbsp;did not react strongly to a pledge by the leaders of the United States and North Korea to work toward complete denuclearisation of the Korean peninsula.

The joint statement signed at the end of a summit in Singapore gave few details on how this goal would be achieved.

Gold&nbsp;is traditionally used as a safe place to invest money during times of uncertainty, and growing tensions over Korea have added to demand.

In other precious metals, silver was down 0.2 per cent at $16.86 an ounce after hitting a seven-week high of $16.95 on Monday.

Platinum was 0.2 per cent higher at $905.80 an ounce and palladium was down 0.3 per cent at $1,019 an ounce.

A Fed statement and press conference expected from 1800 GMT on Wednesday could push gold out of the tight range of around $1,290-$1,305 in which it has been trapped since mid-May

Gold prices remained locked just below $1,300 an ounce on Tuesday as investors waited for clues on the pace of US interest rate rises from a Federal Reserve meeting this week. A Fed statement and press conference expected from 1800 GMT on Wednesday could push gold out of the tight range of around $1,290-$1,305 in which it has been trapped since mid-May. Gold is highly sensitive to interest rates because higher rates push up bond yields, making non-yielding gold less attractive, and tend to strengthen the dollar, increasing the cost of gold for buyers using other currencies. Investors expect the Fed to increase rates on Wednesday but will be looking for hints at future policy. A more aggressive stance on monetary tightening would hurt gold. "We are waiting for the FOMC," said Saxo Bank analyst Ole Hansen, referring to the Fed's policy committee. Gold prices have tended to fall ahead of previous rate rises but recover afterwards, he said. "We're still erring towards the potential for a move higher here." Spot gold was down 0.1 per cent at $1,298.15 an ounce at 1021 GMT, while US gold futures for August delivery were 0.1 per cent lower at $1,302 an ounce. The dollar and US bond yields were also largely flat. Adding to the wait-and-see mood for gold were expectations that the European Central Bank will signal a winding down of its vast bond-buying programme at a meeting on Thursday. This would likely help gold by boosting the euro and weakening the dollar. Japan's central bank will also meet on June 14-15. Gold did not react strongly to a pledge by the leaders of the United States and North Korea to work toward complete denuclearisation of the Korean peninsula. The joint statement signed at the end of a summit in Singapore gave few details on how this goal would be achieved. Gold is traditionally used as a safe place to invest money during times of uncertainty, and growing tensions over Korea have added to demand. In other precious metals, silver was down 0.2 per cent at $16.86 an ounce after hitting a seven-week high of $16.95 on Monday. Platinum was 0.2 per cent higher at $905.80 an ounce and palladium was down 0.3 per cent at $1,019 an ounce.

Gold locked below $1,300 as market braces for Federal Reserve meeting

Russia has a positive assessment of the deal between U.S. President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, but "the devil is in the detail", TASS news agency cited Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov as saying on Tuesday.

"Now we can only welcome the fact that an important step forward has been made. Of course, the devil is in the detail, and we have yet to delve into specifics. But the impulse, as far as we understand, has been given," Ryabkov said.

Russia is ready to assist in implementing the deal - to work towards complete denuclearization of the Korean peninsula - and hopes to settle the nuclear crisis will unblock normal economic cooperation, RIA news agency quoted Ryabkov as saying.

He also said Moscow hoped that six-party talks - a negotiation format involving the two Koreas, the United States, Russia, Japan and China - will at some point become relevant again, according to TASS.

Russia is ready to assist in implementing the deal - to work towards complete denuclearization of the Korean peninsula

Russia has a positive assessment of the deal between U.S. President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, but "the devil is in the detail", TASS news agency cited Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov as saying on Tuesday. "Now we can only welcome the fact that an important step forward has been made. Of course, the devil is in the detail, and we have yet to delve into specifics. But the impulse, as far as we understand, has been given," Ryabkov said. Russia is ready to assist in implementing the deal - to work towards complete denuclearization of the Korean peninsula - and hopes to settle the nuclear crisis will unblock normal economic cooperation, RIA news agency quoted Ryabkov as saying. He also said Moscow hoped that six-party talks - a negotiation format involving the two Koreas, the United States, Russia, Japan and China - will at some point become relevant again, according to TASS.

Russia ready to help implement North Korea deal

Days after Afghanistan President Ashraf Ghani announced a temporary ceasefire with Taliban on June 7, the United States has now expressed its willingness to initiate talks with the outfit.

Deputy Assistant to US President Donald Trump and Senior Director for Central Asia at the National Security Council, Lisa Curtis, said US cannot talk on behalf of Kabul but is willing to be a part of talks.

"The United States is ready to participate in the discussion, but we cannot serve as a substitute for the Afghan government and the Afghan people. A political settlement must be negotiated through a process that is Afghan-lead and Afghan-owned, Curtis said.

Referring to the haven provided to the Afghan Taliban and the Haqqani network in Pakistan, she also added that they have asked Pakistan to cooperate and assist in developing peace in the region.

The Taliban and the Haqqani network have sought refuge in Pakistan for over 16 years.

Following the ceasefire announcement by the Afghan government, the&nbsp;<a href="http://wionews.com/south-asia/afghan-taliban-for-the-first-time-announce-ceasefire-for-eid-143235">Afghan&nbsp;Taliban has also announced a three-day ceasefire over the Eid holiday</a> at the end of this week, their first such offer.

The militants said foreign forces would be excluded from the ceasefire and that operations against them would continue.

&nbsp;

'The United States is ready to participate in the discussion, but we cannot serve as a substitute for the Afghan government and the Afghan people. A political settlement must be negotiated through a process that is Afghan-lead and Afghan-owned' Deputy Assistant to US President said

Days after Afghanistan President Ashraf Ghani announced a temporary ceasefire with Taliban on June 7, the United States has now expressed its willingness to initiate talks with the outfit. Deputy Assistant to US President Donald Trump and Senior Director for Central Asia at the National Security Council, Lisa Curtis, said US cannot talk on behalf of Kabul but is willing to be a part of talks. "The United States is ready to participate in the discussion, but we cannot serve as a substitute for the Afghan government and the Afghan people. A political settlement must be negotiated through a process that is Afghan-lead and Afghan-owned, Curtis said. Referring to the haven provided to the Afghan Taliban and the Haqqani network in Pakistan, she also added that they have asked Pakistan to cooperate and assist in developing peace in the region. The Taliban and the Haqqani network have sought refuge in Pakistan for over 16 years. Following the ceasefire announcement by the Afghan government, the Afghan Taliban has also announced a three-day ceasefire over the Eid holiday at the end of this week, their first such offer. The militants said foreign forces would be excluded from the ceasefire and that operations against them would continue.

US willing to hold talks with Taliban

US President Donald Trump said on Thursday that he may invite North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un to the White House if the Singapore summit goes well.

His remarks came after his meet with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe where the two leaders discussed the forthcoming Singapore summit.

Answering a question if he would invite the North Korean leader to White House or Mar-a-lago, Trump said: "Maybe we'll start with the White House".

He, however, clarified that he would not hesitate in walking out of the meeting if his goals were not achieved.

He said, "I am totally prepared to walk. It could happen. Maybe it won't be necessary. I hope it won't be necessary to walk, because I really believe that Kim Jong-un wants to do something that is going to be great for his people, and also great for his family, and great for himself".

"I am totally prepared to walk away. I did it once before. You have to be able to walk away. If you're not going to be able to walk away -- we didn't walk away from the horrible Iran deal that was signed, and if you look at what's happened, since I signed that deal, Iran and in all fairness, I say it with great respect for the people of Iran, but Iran is acting a lot differently. They're no longer looking so much to the Mediterranean", Trump added.

After some back and forth, the highly anticipated meeting between Donald Trump and Kim Jong-Un is scheduled for June 12.

The two leaders were hurling insults and threats of war with each other for a very long time.&nbsp;

The rhetoric began to cool during the Winter Olympics in South Korea, and by mid-March, the two sides decided to a face-to-face.

(With input from Agencies)

Answering a question if he would invite the North Korean leader to White House or Mar-a-lago, Trump said: "Maybe we'll start with the White House". He, however, clarified that he would not hesitate in walking out of the meeting if his goals were not achieved

US President Donald Trump said on Thursday that he may invite North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un to the White House if the Singapore summit goes well. His remarks came after his meet with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe where the two leaders discussed the forthcoming Singapore summit. Answering a question if he would invite the North Korean leader to White House or Mar-a-lago, Trump said: "Maybe we'll start with the White House". He, however, clarified that he would not hesitate in walking out of the meeting if his goals were not achieved. He said, "I am totally prepared to walk. It could happen. Maybe it won't be necessary. I hope it won't be necessary to walk, because I really believe that Kim Jong-un wants to do something that is going to be great for his people, and also great for his family, and great for himself". "I am totally prepared to walk away. I did it once before. You have to be able to walk away. If you're not going to be able to walk away -- we didn't walk away from the horrible Iran deal that was signed, and if you look at what's happened, since I signed that deal, Iran and in all fairness, I say it with great respect for the people of Iran, but Iran is acting a lot differently. They're no longer looking so much to the Mediterranean", Trump added. After some back and forth, the highly anticipated meeting between Donald Trump and Kim Jong-Un is scheduled for June 12. The two leaders were hurling insults and threats of war with each other for a very long time. The rhetoric began to cool during the Winter Olympics in South Korea, and by mid-March, the two sides decided to a face-to-face. (With input from Agencies)

Might invite Kim to US if talks go well: Trump

When the then US President Barack Obama called his Pakistani counterpart Asif Ali Zardari to inform him about the killing of Osama bin Laden by the US forces in a raid in Abbottabad, the latter, according to a book, told him that this was a "good news".

"Whatever the fallout, he (Zardari) told Obama, it's very good news. It's been a long time. God be with you and the people of America," Ben Rhodes, who was Obama's close aide at the White House writes in his latest book, referring to the response of Zardari when the US president called him to inform him about the American raid in on May 2, 2011.

Zardari was thrust into a leading role in Pakistani politics after his wife and prominent politician Benazir Bhutto was assassinated by extremists on 27 December 2007&nbsp

"Zardari was sure to face a backlash at home over America's violation of Pakistani sovereignty," writes Rhodes in his book 'The World as It Is: A Memoir of the Obama White House', which hit the bookstores this week.

"But he wasn't upset," says Rhodes, giving his impression of the conversation between the two presidents, which happened before Obama went to address the nation informing his fellow Americans about the killing of Osama bin Laden.

According to Rhodes, who was Obama's close aid during his eight years of presidency, said that even from his election campaign days, he had insisted that he would cross the border if the US had actionable intelligence against Osama bin Laden.&nbsp

When his national security team were debating about crossing into the Pakistani territory to kill bin Laden, it was vice president Joe Biden who was reluctant to do so.&nbsp

"It was obvious to me that Obama was going to do this. He had a way of looking straight ahead when he was listening at the same time that his mind was elsewhere. I could tell that he had turned the intelligence over and over in his mind ("this is a fifty-fifty call"), that he understood the risks with Pakistan," writes Rhodes.

"When he asked me what I thought, I simply said, 'You always said you were going to do this'. Because I'd lived through the debate on the campaign, I knew he had meant what he said about going into Pakistan," the former White House official said.&nbsp

Obama asked him to prepare for four scenarios: (1) bin Laden is at the compound and it's a success (2) bin Laden is at the compound and it's messy" people killed, Pakistani security services, instability (3) bin Laden's not there but we get in and out cleanly (4) bin Laden's not there and it's a mess.&nbsp

"At the end of the meeting, Obama didn't tip his hand, he just said he'd make his decision overnight. As people filed out of the room, Biden pulled Denis and me into a smaller, adjacent room and closed the door. He looked genuinely pained. 'You fellas really think he should do this?' 'I do,' Denis said," Rhodes writes.&nbsp

"I agreed, and repeated my point about Obama's always having said he would go into Pakistan to get Bin, Laden. 'Well', Biden said, 'I'm just trying to give him a little space'. I believed that"&nbspBiden sometimes took strident positions in meetings to widen the spectrum of views and options available to Obama. He also worked hard to understand Obama's mind," he writes.

"You've always got his back," the then Chief of Staff Denis McDonough said to him, according to the book.&nbsp

"You better believe it," Biden replied. "But we're also going to need to say some prayers," he added.&nbsp

'Whatever the fallout, he (Zardari) told Obama, it's very good news. It's been a long time. God be with you and the people of America,' Ben Rhodes, who was Obama's close aide at the White House writes in his latest book, referring to the response of Zardari when the US president called him to inform him about the American raid in on May 2, 2011

When the then US President Barack Obama called his Pakistani counterpart Asif Ali Zardari to inform him about the killing of Osama bin Laden by the US forces in a raid in Abbottabad, the latter, according to a book, told him that this was a "good news". "Whatever the fallout, he (Zardari) told Obama, it's very good news. It's been a long time. God be with you and the people of America," Ben Rhodes, who was Obama's close aide at the White House writes in his latest book, referring to the response of Zardari when the US president called him to inform him about the American raid in on May 2, 2011. Zardari was thrust into a leading role in Pakistani politics after his wife and prominent politician Benazir Bhutto was assassinated by extremists on 27 December 2007 "Zardari was sure to face a backlash at home over America's violation of Pakistani sovereignty," writes Rhodes in his book 'The World as It Is: A Memoir of the Obama White House', which hit the bookstores this week. "But he wasn't upset," says Rhodes, giving his impression of the conversation between the two presidents, which happened before Obama went to address the nation informing his fellow Americans about the killing of Osama bin Laden. According to Rhodes, who was Obama's close aid during his eight years of presidency, said that even from his election campaign days, he had insisted that he would cross the border if the US had actionable intelligence against Osama bin Laden. When his national security team were debating about crossing into the Pakistani territory to kill bin Laden, it was vice president Joe Biden who was reluctant to do so. "It was obvious to me that Obama was going to do this. He had a way of looking straight ahead when he was listening at the same time that his mind was elsewhere. I could tell that he had turned the intelligence over and over in his mind ("this is a fifty-fifty call"), that he understood the risks with Pakistan," writes Rhodes. "When he asked me what I thought, I simply said, 'You always said you were going to do this'. Because I'd lived through the debate on the campaign, I knew he had meant what he said about going into Pakistan," the former White House official said. Obama asked him to prepare for four scenarios: (1) bin Laden is at the compound and it's a success (2) bin Laden is at the compound and it's messy" people killed, Pakistani security services, instability (3) bin Laden's not there but we get in and out cleanly (4) bin Laden's not there and it's a mess. "At the end of the meeting, Obama didn't tip his hand, he just said he'd make his decision overnight. As people filed out of the room, Biden pulled Denis and me into a smaller, adjacent room and closed the door. He looked genuinely pained. 'You fellas really think he should do this?' 'I do,' Denis said," Rhodes writes. "I agreed, and repeated my point about Obama's always having said he would go into Pakistan to get Bin, Laden. 'Well', Biden said, 'I'm just trying to give him a little space'. I believed that"&nbspBiden sometimes took strident positions in meetings to widen the spectrum of views and options available to Obama. He also worked hard to understand Obama's mind," he writes. "You've always got his back," the then Chief of Staff Denis McDonough said to him, according to the book. "You better believe it," Biden replied. "But we're also going to need to say some prayers," he added.

Zardari welcomed Osama bin Laden's killing by US: Book

Chinese authorities have called on the public to help track down fugitives abroad by publishing the names, photos and even addresses of 50 high-profile suspects beyond its grasp.

A massive anti-graft campaign launched by President Xi Jinping includes a push to repatriate allegedly corrupt officials who have fled abroad -- an effort known as "Sky Net".

But most Western countries including the United States do not have extradition treaties with China, where courts are overseen by the Communist Party and the use of force by police to extract confessions is believed to be common.

Nearly half of those wanted may be hiding out in the US, with others allegedly on the run in Canada, New Zealand and Australia, according to the party's corruption watchdog.

The anti-graft agency has set up a new whistleblowing website to collect tips on the suspects' whereabouts from ordinary people who can choose to remain anonymous.

"The repatriation of foreign fugitives is an important part of the anti-corruption campaign and an important part of our diplomatic work," foreign ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said at a regular press briefing&nbsp;on Thursday.

The watchdog, known as the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection (CCDI), said&nbsp;Wednesday&nbsp;it hopes to "work closely with the masses and actively mobilise them to weave a dragnet so those fleeing with money abroad will have nowhere to hide".

Xi's anti-corruption campaign has raised concerns after reports China dispatched law enforcers to other countries to pressure suspects into returning, without notifying overseas governments.

The CCDI said the public and overseas Chinese community had already helped in tracking down and "persuading" some fugitives to return to China after details of 22 suspects were publicised last year -- six of whom have been nabbed so far.

By the end of April, the corruption watchdog had altogether "recovered" 4,141 fugitives from more than 90 countries and regions, it said.

California is a hotspot for fleeing Chinese fugitives, the data shows, with eight of 23 suspects in the US thought to be hiding out in the "Golden State".

Among them is Peng Xufeng, 52, who may be harboured in the sunny community of Chino Hills, where single family homes line sleepy suburban streets.

He is the former chairman of the state-owned Changsha Metro Group and is alleged to have fled with passports from Saint Kitts and Nevis as well as Cyprus. He is charged with money laundering and accepting bribes.

A massive anti-graft campaign launched by President Xi Jinping includes a push to repatriate allegedly corrupt officials who have fled abroad -- an effort known as 'Sky Net'

Chinese authorities have called on the public to help track down fugitives abroad by publishing the names, photos and even addresses of 50 high-profile suspects beyond its grasp. A massive anti-graft campaign launched by President Xi Jinping includes a push to repatriate allegedly corrupt officials who have fled abroad -- an effort known as "Sky Net". But most Western countries including the United States do not have extradition treaties with China, where courts are overseen by the Communist Party and the use of force by police to extract confessions is believed to be common. Nearly half of those wanted may be hiding out in the US, with others allegedly on the run in Canada, New Zealand and Australia, according to the party's corruption watchdog. The anti-graft agency has set up a new whistleblowing website to collect tips on the suspects' whereabouts from ordinary people who can choose to remain anonymous. "The repatriation of foreign fugitives is an important part of the anti-corruption campaign and an important part of our diplomatic work," foreign ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said at a regular press briefing on Thursday. The watchdog, known as the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection (CCDI), said Wednesday it hopes to "work closely with the masses and actively mobilise them to weave a dragnet so those fleeing with money abroad will have nowhere to hide". Xi's anti-corruption campaign has raised concerns after reports China dispatched law enforcers to other countries to pressure suspects into returning, without notifying overseas governments. The CCDI said the public and overseas Chinese community had already helped in tracking down and "persuading" some fugitives to return to China after details of 22 suspects were publicised last year -- six of whom have been nabbed so far. By the end of April, the corruption watchdog had altogether "recovered" 4,141 fugitives from more than 90 countries and regions, it said. California is a hotspot for fleeing Chinese fugitives, the data shows, with eight of 23 suspects in the US thought to be hiding out in the "Golden State". Among them is Peng Xufeng, 52, who may be harboured in the sunny community of Chino Hills, where single family homes line sleepy suburban streets. He is the former chairman of the state-owned Changsha Metro Group and is alleged to have fled with passports from Saint Kitts and Nevis as well as Cyprus. He is charged with money laundering and accepting bribes.

China enlists public to track fugitives in US, Canada

Iraq's parliament Wednesday ordered a manual recount of the May 12 legislative elections and sacked the commission which oversaw the polls that resulted in a surprise victory for a populist Shiite cleric.

After several failed attempts because of a lack of quorum, outgoing MPs met to order a recount at all polling stations, covering almost 11 million votes, in response to charges of electoral fraud.

The nine-member independent commission was dismissed and is to be replaced by judges.

Confusion has gripped Iraq since the vote won by Shiite cleric Moqtada Sadr's electoral alliance with communists, even with negotiations to form a new government underway.

Since last month's victory of anti-establishment electoral lists for a four-year mandate, long-time political figures pushed out by Iraqi voters hoping for change have been calling for a recount.

According to intelligence services, tests of electronic voting machines -- used for the first time in Iraqi elections -- produced varied results, appearing to give credence to the fraud claims.

Parliament already decided last week to annul the ballots of displaced Iraqis and those living abroad, although they accounted for only a small fraction of the overall vote.

The election saw a record number of abstentions as Iraqis snubbed the corruption-tainted elite that has dominated the country since the 2003 US-led invasion that toppled Saddam Hussein.

Many of Iraq's longtime political figures -- seemingly irremovable since the dictator's fall -- were pushed out of their seats by new faces.&nbsp;

It is their voices -- with parliament speaker Salim al-Juburi leading the charge -- that have been the loudest in challenging the poll results.

Less than half of Iraq's 24-million electorate took part, dumping the old guard in favour of Sadr's alliance followed by a list of former fighters of the Hashed al-Shaabi alliance that last year played a key role in the defeat of the Islamic State group.

Once the first results came in, the United States and Iran, the two major political players in Iraq, both sent senior envoys to Baghdad to lobby on the make-up of the new government following the most open results since Iraq's first multi-party elections in 2005.

Major change unlikely

The recount is unlikely to produce a major change in the number of seats won by the rival lists, according to experts on Iraqi politics, but rather modify the rankings of candidates within the same lists. &nbsp;

The presidency endorsed parliament's decision on a recount, for which no timetable has been announced.

The outgoing government of Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi could be asked to stay on in a caretaker capacity, political analyst Essam al-Fili told AFP.

He said such a scenario would "generate political tensions which could lead to other consequences", especially in a country where several political formations are affiliated to fighting forces.

It is in the multi-ethnic, oil-rich northern province of Kirkuk that the challenge to the election results has been the strongest -- and the most potentially explosive.

Kirkuk's ethnically mixed population -- majority Kurdish but with sizeable Arab and Turkmen minorities -- pushed Iraqi authorities to impose a curfew on the night of the results.

Outgoing MPs met to order a recount at all polling stations, covering almost 11 million votes, in response to charges of electoral fraud

Iraq's parliament Wednesday ordered a manual recount of the May 12 legislative elections and sacked the commission which oversaw the polls that resulted in a surprise victory for a populist Shiite cleric. After several failed attempts because of a lack of quorum, outgoing MPs met to order a recount at all polling stations, covering almost 11 million votes, in response to charges of electoral fraud. The nine-member independent commission was dismissed and is to be replaced by judges. Confusion has gripped Iraq since the vote won by Shiite cleric Moqtada Sadr's electoral alliance with communists, even with negotiations to form a new government underway. Since last month's victory of anti-establishment electoral lists for a four-year mandate, long-time political figures pushed out by Iraqi voters hoping for change have been calling for a recount. According to intelligence services, tests of electronic voting machines -- used for the first time in Iraqi elections -- produced varied results, appearing to give credence to the fraud claims. Parliament already decided last week to annul the ballots of displaced Iraqis and those living abroad, although they accounted for only a small fraction of the overall vote. The election saw a record number of abstentions as Iraqis snubbed the corruption-tainted elite that has dominated the country since the 2003 US-led invasion that toppled Saddam Hussein. Many of Iraq's longtime political figures -- seemingly irremovable since the dictator's fall -- were pushed out of their seats by new faces. It is their voices -- with parliament speaker Salim al-Juburi leading the charge -- that have been the loudest in challenging the poll results. Less than half of Iraq's 24-million electorate took part, dumping the old guard in favour of Sadr's alliance followed by a list of former fighters of the Hashed al-Shaabi alliance that last year played a key role in the defeat of the Islamic State group. Once the first results came in, the United States and Iran, the two major political players in Iraq, both sent senior envoys to Baghdad to lobby on the make-up of the new government following the most open results since Iraq's first multi-party elections in 2005. Major change unlikely The recount is unlikely to produce a major change in the number of seats won by the rival lists, according to experts on Iraqi politics, but rather modify the rankings of candidates within the same lists. The presidency endorsed parliament's decision on a recount, for which no timetable has been announced. The outgoing government of Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi could be asked to stay on in a caretaker capacity, political analyst Essam al-Fili told AFP. He said such a scenario would "generate political tensions which could lead to other consequences", especially in a country where several political formations are affiliated to fighting forces. It is in the multi-ethnic, oil-rich northern province of Kirkuk that the challenge to the election results has been the strongest -- and the most potentially explosive. Kirkuk's ethnically mixed population -- majority Kurdish but with sizeable Arab and Turkmen minorities -- pushed Iraqi authorities to impose a curfew on the night of the results.

Iraq parliament orders full election recount

China's&nbsp;Commerce&nbsp;Ministry&nbsp;said on Thursday that the country does not want an escalation of trade frictions with the United States and that some specific progress was made in the latest round of talks that concluded over the weekend.

China has said that it is willing to increase imports from America as part of negotiations to reduce the United States' $375 billion goods trade deficit with the world's second-largest economy and defuse broader commercial tensions.

Sources have told Reuters that President Donald Trump has discussed with trade advisors a Chinese government offer to import an extra $70 billion in US&nbsp;agricultural and energy commodities, but it is unclear if such as deal would be enough to avert a trade war.

Trump has threatened tariffs on up to $150 billion of Chinese exports as part of a separate dispute over Chinese intellectual property (IP) protections.

The administration has said that a final list of goods for the first wave of duties will be issued next week and that US&nbsp;Treasury Department plans to limit Chinese investment in the United States were also underway.

Commerce&nbsp;Ministry&nbsp;spokesman Gao Feng said that talks on Sunday between US&nbsp;commerce secretary Wilbur Ross and Chinese Vice Premier Liu He in Beijing included in-depth discussions about agriculture and energy trade, but he did not confirm that China had made a $70 billion offer.

Gao told a weekly news briefing that the talks had made specific progress, and reiterated&nbsp;China'swillingness to import more from the United States, but he did not offer details.

"There were discussions regarding specific areas of cooperation, including in-depth talks on agriculture and energy. China is willing to increase imports from the US&nbsp;(as part of negotiations)," Gao said.

China on Sunday warned that any agreements reached on trade and business between the two countries will be void if Washington implements tariffs and other trade measures.

Structural issues that for years have angered Washington, such as Chinese joint venture rules, market access restrictions, and policies that result in technology transfers, were not covered during Ross' latest trip to Beijing, according to sources.

Trump has threatened tariffs on up to $150 billion of Chinese exports as part of a separate dispute over Chinese intellectual property (IP) protections

China's Commerce Ministry said on Thursday that the country does not want an escalation of trade frictions with the United States and that some specific progress was made in the latest round of talks that concluded over the weekend. China has said that it is willing to increase imports from America as part of negotiations to reduce the United States' $375 billion goods trade deficit with the world's second-largest economy and defuse broader commercial tensions. Sources have told Reuters that President Donald Trump has discussed with trade advisors a Chinese government offer to import an extra $70 billion in US agricultural and energy commodities, but it is unclear if such as deal would be enough to avert a trade war. Trump has threatened tariffs on up to $150 billion of Chinese exports as part of a separate dispute over Chinese intellectual property (IP) protections. The administration has said that a final list of goods for the first wave of duties will be issued next week and that US Treasury Department plans to limit Chinese investment in the United States were also underway. Commerce Ministry spokesman Gao Feng said that talks on Sunday between US commerce secretary Wilbur Ross and Chinese Vice Premier Liu He in Beijing included in-depth discussions about agriculture and energy trade, but he did not confirm that China had made a $70 billion offer. Gao told a weekly news briefing that the talks had made specific progress, and reiterated China'swillingness to import more from the United States, but he did not offer details. "There were discussions regarding specific areas of cooperation, including in-depth talks on agriculture and energy. China is willing to increase imports from the US (as part of negotiations)," Gao said. China on Sunday warned that any agreements reached on trade and business between the two countries will be void if Washington implements tariffs and other trade measures. Structural issues that for years have angered Washington, such as Chinese joint venture rules, market access restrictions, and policies that result in technology transfers, were not covered during Ross' latest trip to Beijing, according to sources.

China says it does not want US trade frictions to escalate

By:&nbsp;Adam Ni*

At a top regional security forum on Saturday, US Defence Secretary Jim Mattis said China’s recent militarisation efforts in the disputed South China Sea were intended to intimidate and coerce regional countries.

Mattis told the Shangri-La Dialogue that China’s actions stood in "stark contrast with the openness of [the US] strategy," and warned of "much larger consequences" if China continued its current approach.

As an "initial response", China’s navy has been disinvited by the US from the upcoming 2018 Rim of the Pacific Exercise, the world’s largest international naval exercise.

It is important to understand the context of the current tensions and the strategic stakes for both China and the US.

In recent years, China has sought to bolster its control over the South China Sea, where a number of claimants have overlapping territorial claims with China, including Vietnam, the Philippines and Taiwan.

China's efforts have continued unabated, despite rising tensions and international protests. Just recently, China landed a long-range heavy bomber for the first time on an island in the disputed Paracels, and deployed anti-ship and anti-air missile systems to its outposts in the Spratly Islands.

China’s air force has also stepped up its drills and patrols in the skies over the South China Sea.

While China is not the only claimant militarising the disputed region, no one else comes remotely close to the ambition, scale and speed of China's efforts.

China’s strategy

The South China Sea has long been coveted by China (and others) due to its strategic importance for trade and military power, as well as its abundant resources. According to one estimate, US$3.4 trillion in trade passed through the South China Sea in 2016, representing 21 per cent of the global total.

China’s goal in the South China Sea can be summarised with one word: control.

In order to achieve this, China is undertaking a coordinated, long-term effort to assert its dominance in the region, including the building of artificial islands, civil and military infrastructure, and the deployment of military ships and aircraft to the region.

While politicians of other countries such as the US, Philippines and Australia espouse fiery rhetoric to protest China’s actions, Beijing is focusing on actively transforming the physical and power geography of the South China Sea.

In fact, according to the new commander of the US Indo-Pacific Command, Admiral Philip Davidson, China’s efforts have been so successful that it "is now capable of controlling the South China Sea in all scenarios short of war with the US".

America’s declining relevance

China’s efforts are hard to counter because it has employed an incremental approach to cementing its control in the South China Sea. None of its actions would individually justify a US military response that could escalate to war. In any case, the human and economic cost of such a conflict would be immense.

The inability of the US to respond effectively to China’s moves has eroded its credibility in the region. It has also fed a narrative that the US is not "here to stay" in Asia. If the US is serious about countering China, then Mattis’ rhetoric must be followed by action.

First, the US should clearly articulate its red lines to China and others on the kinds of activities that are unacceptable in the South China Sea. Then it must be willing to enforce such red lines, while being mindful of the risks.

Second, the US needs to renew its efforts to cooperate with allies in the region to build capacity and demonstrate a coordinated commitment to stand in the face of China’s challenge.

Third, the US needs to deploy military capabilities in the Indo-Pacific region, such as advanced missile systems, which would reduce the military advantages gained by China through the militarisation of the South China Sea features.

Long-term consequences

China’s tightening control over the South China Sea is worrying for a number of regional countries. For many, the shipping routes that run through the South China Sea are the bloodlines of their economies.

Moreover, the shifting balance of power will enable Beijing to settle its territorial disputes in the region for good. Without a doubt, China is willing to use its new-found power to change the status quo in its favour, even at the expense of its weaker neighbours.

Control of the South China Sea also allows Beijing to better project its military power across South-East Asia, the western Pacific and parts of Oceania. This would make it more costly for the US and its allies to take action against China, for example, in scenarios involving Taiwan.

On a higher level, China’s assertive approach to the South China Sea demonstrates Beijing’s increasing confidence and its willingness to flaunt international norms that it considers inconvenient or contrary to its interests.

There is little doubt China is becoming the new dominant power in Asia. Its rise has benefited millions in the region and should be welcomed. But we should also be wary of Beijing’s approach to territorial disputes and grievances if it employs military and economic intimidation and coercion.

If we want to live in a "world where big fish neither eat nor intimidate the small", then there must be consequences for countries, including China, when they flaunt international norms and seek to settle disagreements with force.

It may be too late to turn the tide in the South China Sea and reverse China’s gains. No one would run such a risk. But it is not too late to impose penalties on China for further destabilising the region through its actions in the South China Sea.

The challenge is to figure out how to do that, and what we would be willing to risk to achieve it.

Adam Ni is a Researcher, Strategic and Defense Studies Centre, Australian National University.

(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

(This article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the original <a href="https://theconversation.com/despite-strong-words-the-us-has-few-options-left-to-reverse-chinas-gains-in-the-south-china-sea-97089">article</a>.)

The South China Sea has long been coveted by China (and others) due to its strategic importance for trade and military power, as well as its abundant resources

By: Adam Ni* At a top regional security forum on Saturday, US Defence Secretary Jim Mattis said China’s recent militarisation efforts in the disputed South China Sea were intended to intimidate and coerce regional countries. Mattis told the Shangri-La Dialogue that China’s actions stood in "stark contrast with the openness of [the US] strategy," and warned of "much larger consequences" if China continued its current approach. As an "initial response", China’s navy has been disinvited by the US from the upcoming 2018 Rim of the Pacific Exercise, the world’s largest international naval exercise. It is important to understand the context of the current tensions and the strategic stakes for both China and the US. In recent years, China has sought to bolster its control over the South China Sea, where a number of claimants have overlapping territorial claims with China, including Vietnam, the Philippines and Taiwan. China's efforts have continued unabated, despite rising tensions and international protests. Just recently, China landed a long-range heavy bomber for the first time on an island in the disputed Paracels, and deployed anti-ship and anti-air missile systems to its outposts in the Spratly Islands. China’s air force has also stepped up its drills and patrols in the skies over the South China Sea. While China is not the only claimant militarising the disputed region, no one else comes remotely close to the ambition, scale and speed of China's efforts. China’s strategy The South China Sea has long been coveted by China (and others) due to its strategic importance for trade and military power, as well as its abundant resources. According to one estimate, US$3.4 trillion in trade passed through the South China Sea in 2016, representing 21 per cent of the global total. China’s goal in the South China Sea can be summarised with one word: control. In order to achieve this, China is undertaking a coordinated, long-term effort to assert its dominance in the region, including the building of artificial islands, civil and military infrastructure, and the deployment of military ships and aircraft to the region. While politicians of other countries such as the US, Philippines and Australia espouse fiery rhetoric to protest China’s actions, Beijing is focusing on actively transforming the physical and power geography of the South China Sea. In fact, according to the new commander of the US Indo-Pacific Command, Admiral Philip Davidson, China’s efforts have been so successful that it "is now capable of controlling the South China Sea in all scenarios short of war with the US". America’s declining relevance China’s efforts are hard to counter because it has employed an incremental approach to cementing its control in the South China Sea. None of its actions would individually justify a US military response that could escalate to war. In any case, the human and economic cost of such a conflict would be immense. The inability of the US to respond effectively to China’s moves has eroded its credibility in the region. It has also fed a narrative that the US is not "here to stay" in Asia. If the US is serious about countering China, then Mattis’ rhetoric must be followed by action. First, the US should clearly articulate its red lines to China and others on the kinds of activities that are unacceptable in the South China Sea. Then it must be willing to enforce such red lines, while being mindful of the risks. Second, the US needs to renew its efforts to cooperate with allies in the region to build capacity and demonstrate a coordinated commitment to stand in the face of China’s challenge. Third, the US needs to deploy military capabilities in the Indo-Pacific region, such as advanced missile systems, which would reduce the military advantages gained by China through the militarisation of the South China Sea features. Long-term consequences China’s tightening control over the South China Sea is worrying for a number of regional countries. For many, the shipping routes that run through the South China Sea are the bloodlines of their economies. Moreover, the shifting balance of power will enable Beijing to settle its territorial disputes in the region for good. Without a doubt, China is willing to use its new-found power to change the status quo in its favour, even at the expense of its weaker neighbours. Control of the South China Sea also allows Beijing to better project its military power across South-East Asia, the western Pacific and parts of Oceania. This would make it more costly for the US and its allies to take action against China, for example, in scenarios involving Taiwan. On a higher level, China’s assertive approach to the South China Sea demonstrates Beijing’s increasing confidence and its willingness to flaunt international norms that it considers inconvenient or contrary to its interests. There is little doubt China is becoming the new dominant power in Asia. Its rise has benefited millions in the region and should be welcomed. But we should also be wary of Beijing’s approach to territorial disputes and grievances if it employs military and economic intimidation and coercion. If we want to live in a "world where big fish neither eat nor intimidate the small", then there must be consequences for countries, including China, when they flaunt international norms and seek to settle disagreements with force. It may be too late to turn the tide in the South China Sea and reverse China’s gains. No one would run such a risk. But it is not too late to impose penalties on China for further destabilising the region through its actions in the South China Sea. The challenge is to figure out how to do that, and what we would be willing to risk to achieve it. Adam Ni is a Researcher, Strategic and Defense Studies Centre, Australian National University. (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL) (This article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the original article.)

Opinion: Despite strong words, US has few options left to reverse China's gains in South China Sea

The skeleton of an extremely rare form of dinosaur sold for more than two million euros ($2.3 million) at the Eiffel Tower in Paris&nbsp;on Monday. 
 
The bones of what scientists believe to be "probably a new species" of the carnivorous Allosaurus were discovered during a dig in Wyoming in the United States in 2013. 
 
The 150-million-year-old skeleton, which is 70 per cent intact, was snapped up by an unnamed French art collector, who promised that the specimen will be lent out to a museum.

The dinosaur, which is more than nine metres (30 feet) long and 2.6 metres high, lived during the late Jurassic period, said Eric Mickeler, of auction house Aguttes. 
 
He said it was the "only one of its species" to have yet been discovered. 
 
Dinosaur expert Eric Geneste had earlier told AFP it was impossible to "classify the skeleton yet as an allosaurus" because it was more robust, "with longer shoulder blades and a different number of teeth". 
 
"In fact, there are as many differences between it and an Allosaurus as between a human and a gorilla," he added. 
 
Japanese and Swedish telephone bidders also tried to buy the dinosaur, pushing the bidding above the 1.8 million euro estimate. 
 
The same French auction house sold an allosaurus called "Kan" for 1.1 million euros in 2016. 
 
<a disabled="disabled" id="m_748129832586152925LPlnk8927"></a>Mickeler said that "herbivores do not quite excite businessmen who buy dinosaurs the same way as carnivores do. They want to buy carnivores like themselves." 
 
Part of the proceeds of the sale of the skeleton by a British collector will go to towards funding further archaeological digs.

The bones of what scientists believe to be "probably a new species" of the carnivorous Allosaurus were discovered during a dig in Wyoming in the United States in 2013

The skeleton of an extremely rare form of dinosaur sold for more than two million euros ($2.3 million) at the Eiffel Tower in Paris on Monday. The bones of what scientists believe to be "probably a new species" of the carnivorous Allosaurus were discovered during a dig in Wyoming in the United States in 2013. The 150-million-year-old skeleton, which is 70 per cent intact, was snapped up by an unnamed French art collector, who promised that the specimen will be lent out to a museum. The dinosaur, which is more than nine metres (30 feet) long and 2.6 metres high, lived during the late Jurassic period, said Eric Mickeler, of auction house Aguttes. He said it was the "only one of its species" to have yet been discovered. Dinosaur expert Eric Geneste had earlier told AFP it was impossible to "classify the skeleton yet as an allosaurus" because it was more robust, "with longer shoulder blades and a different number of teeth". "In fact, there are as many differences between it and an Allosaurus as between a human and a gorilla," he added. Japanese and Swedish telephone bidders also tried to buy the dinosaur, pushing the bidding above the 1.8 million euro estimate. The same French auction house sold an allosaurus called "Kan" for 1.1 million euros in 2016. Mickeler said that "herbivores do not quite excite businessmen who buy dinosaurs the same way as carnivores do. They want to buy carnivores like themselves." Part of the proceeds of the sale of the skeleton by a British collector will go to towards funding further archaeological digs.

150-million-year old dinosaur skeleton sells for 2 million euros

By Amitabh Pashupati Revi

Our battle cry is against climate change, the Seychelles President Danny Faure told WION on World Environment Day, and that India inspires with its leadership.

“The Paris agreement is the root for humanity. I think over time those who have questioned that will come back," President Faure told WION on US President Donald Trump pulling out of the climate change agreement, rising sea waters, and the threat to his 115-island archipelago.

Speaking to WION at the State House in the capital Victoria, President Faure said, "We signed the Paris agreement and we still believe that that's the root for humanity not for our country individually that's the root for humanity. It is our responsibility now to show them the responsibility for generations to come and not to vacillate — not to change positions as we go forward."

Asked how worried he is about rising sea levels because of global warming, President Faure said, “Our battle cry is to get all the people around the world to understand what is happening. It is no longer a question that you are comfortable in your own country and you believe that you can continue to make progress while others should regress.”

Faure added, “It’s very clear. It is climate change. It is a fact. It is reality. We from small countries say that. I am happy that a country like India has embarked on a very ambitious program on renewable energy. You have taken the lead with France on building the solar alliance, giving other countries the opportunity to participate. These are the things that will continue to inspire others and this is a type of leadership."

'The Paris agreement is the root for humanity. I think over time those who have questioned that will come back,' Faure said

By Amitabh Pashupati Revi Our battle cry is against climate change, the Seychelles President Danny Faure told WION on World Environment Day, and that India inspires with its leadership. “The Paris agreement is the root for humanity. I think over time those who have questioned that will come back," President Faure told WION on US President Donald Trump pulling out of the climate change agreement, rising sea waters, and the threat to his 115-island archipelago. Speaking to WION at the State House in the capital Victoria, President Faure said, "We signed the Paris agreement and we still believe that that's the root for humanity not for our country individually that's the root for humanity. It is our responsibility now to show them the responsibility for generations to come and not to vacillate — not to change positions as we go forward." Asked how worried he is about rising sea levels because of global warming, President Faure said, “Our battle cry is to get all the people around the world to understand what is happening. It is no longer a question that you are comfortable in your own country and you believe that you can continue to make progress while others should regress.” Faure added, “It’s very clear. It is climate change. It is a fact. It is reality. We from small countries say that. I am happy that a country like India has embarked on a very ambitious program on renewable energy. You have taken the lead with France on building the solar alliance, giving other countries the opportunity to participate. These are the things that will continue to inspire others and this is a type of leadership."

Our battle cry is against climate change, Seychelles President Danny Faure tells WION on World Environment Day

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