Chinese hackers who used a previously unknown iPhone security flaw to target ethnic minority Uighurs also went after Tibetans in exile, according to a report published on Tuesday.

It was the first detected use of malicious software against exiled Tibetans that required only a single click on a mobile device to work, said Citizen Lab, a Canada-based academic research group.

Citing the technical similarities in the attacks and ones uncovered by U.S. tech firms against Uighurs, the report suggested that forces likely working with the Chinese government may be upgrading their surveillance efforts against key minorities more broadly. The Tibetans are protesting the Chinese rule of the mountainous region inside China.

Asked in Beijing about the report, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said China resolutely opposed and cracked down on any form of internet attacks, and that any accusations needed to be backed up by cast-iron proof.

Citizen Lab, based at the University of Toronto, said it had worked with the recently established Tibetan Computer Emergency Readiness Team (TibCERT), a coalition of Tibetan organizations working on digital security, to probe cyber-attacks that occurred between November 2018 and May 2019.

In the attacks, people posing as human rights workers or journalists contacted unnamed senior figures in Tibetan groups over Facebook's WhatsApp messaging service, according to screenshots featuring their phone numbers posted in the Citizen Lab report. Reuters was not able to independently confirm the authenticity of the screenshots or details of the report.

Among the groups targeted in November 2018 was the private office of Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama, the Tibetan Parliament, and human rights organizations, the report said.

Using well-crafted cover stories, the attackers tried to entice the targets to click on links to websites that would have installed spyware on Apple or Android devices, the report said.

Eight of the 15 Tibetans known to have received the tainted links recalled clicking on them to open them, the researchers said. All their devices were protected by patches that had been issued for the security flaws, but the researchers followed the links themselves to determine what would have happened.

Citizen Lab said the spyware aimed at the Tibetans had also been used to target Uighurs, a mostly Muslim minority group considered a possible security threat by Beijing, in two campaigns revealed in the past month. One was discovered by Google, and another by security company Volexity.

An Apple spokesman said the company had consulted with Citizen Lab and confirmed that the attack tools would not have worked against the Tibetan targets who had updated their iPhones.

"We always encourage customers to download the latest version of iOS for the best and most current security enhancements," said spokesman Todd Wilder.

China is facing growing international criticism over its treatment of Uighurs in Xinjiang. It has repeatedly denied involvement in cyberattacks or any mistreatment of the Uighur people.

Although lead Citizen Lab researcher Bill Marczak said Citizen Lab found "a very clear nexus with China," he acknowledged that "it doesn't automatically mean it's the government, it's kind of hard to say from a technical point of view."

Lobsang Gyatso, secretary of TibCERT, said that the group would use the report to spread awareness of hacking tactics and promote better defense

Chinese hackers who used a previously unknown iPhone security flaw to target ethnic minority Uighurs also went after Tibetans in exile, according to a report published on Tuesday.

Chinese hackers who used a previously unknown iPhone security flaw to target ethnic minority Uighurs also went after Tibetans in exile, according to a report published on Tuesday. It was the first detected use of malicious software against exiled Tibetans that required only a single click on a mobile device to work, said Citizen Lab, a Canada-based academic research group. Citing the technical similarities in the attacks and ones uncovered by U.S. tech firms against Uighurs, the report suggested that forces likely working with the Chinese government may be upgrading their surveillance efforts against key minorities more broadly. The Tibetans are protesting the Chinese rule of the mountainous region inside China. Asked in Beijing about the report, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said China resolutely opposed and cracked down on any form of internet attacks, and that any accusations needed to be backed up by cast-iron proof. Citizen Lab, based at the University of Toronto, said it had worked with the recently established Tibetan Computer Emergency Readiness Team (TibCERT), a coalition of Tibetan organizations working on digital security, to probe cyber-attacks that occurred between November 2018 and May 2019. In the attacks, people posing as human rights workers or journalists contacted unnamed senior figures in Tibetan groups over Facebook's WhatsApp messaging service, according to screenshots featuring their phone numbers posted in the Citizen Lab report. Reuters was not able to independently confirm the authenticity of the screenshots or details of the report. Among the groups targeted in November 2018 was the private office of Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama, the Tibetan Parliament, and human rights organizations, the report said. Using well-crafted cover stories, the attackers tried to entice the targets to click on links to websites that would have installed spyware on Apple or Android devices, the report said. Eight of the 15 Tibetans known to have received the tainted links recalled clicking on them to open them, the researchers said. All their devices were protected by patches that had been issued for the security flaws, but the researchers followed the links themselves to determine what would have happened. Citizen Lab said the spyware aimed at the Tibetans had also been used to target Uighurs, a mostly Muslim minority group considered a possible security threat by Beijing, in two campaigns revealed in the past month. One was discovered by Google, and another by security company Volexity. An Apple spokesman said the company had consulted with Citizen Lab and confirmed that the attack tools would not have worked against the Tibetan targets who had updated their iPhones. "We always encourage customers to download the latest version of iOS for the best and most current security enhancements," said spokesman Todd Wilder. China is facing growing international criticism over its treatment of Uighurs in Xinjiang. It has repeatedly denied involvement in cyberattacks or any mistreatment of the Uighur people. Although lead Citizen Lab researcher Bill Marczak said Citizen Lab found "a very clear nexus with China," he acknowledged that "it doesn't automatically mean it's the government, it's kind of hard to say from a technical point of view." Lobsang Gyatso, secretary of TibCERT, said that the group would use the report to spread awareness of hacking tactics and promote better defense

Chinese hackers who pursued Uighurs also targeted Tibetans: researchers

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday presented to US President Donald Trump a framed photograph from the mega "Howdy Modi" event in Houston.

PM Modi gifts Trump photo from 'Howdy, Modi!' event

India is not shying away from <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/pm-modi-imran-likely-to-cross-paths-at-united-nations-headquarters-today-251795">talks with Pakistan</a> but we expect certain concrete steps to be taken by the neighbouring country first, Prime Minister <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/memories-from-houston-pm-modi-gifts-framed-photograph-from-howdy-modi-to-trump-251835">Narendra Modi</a> said to US President Donald Trump during the bilateral meeting on the sidelines of United Nations General Assembly in New york.

"The Prime Minister made it clear (to Trump) that we are not shying away from talks with Pakistan but we expect certain concrete steps to be taken by Pakistan before that, and we don't find any efforts by them," Foreign Secretary Vijay Gokhale told reporters at a briefing in Delhi after the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/trump-calls-modi-elvis-of-india-says-modi-will-take-care-of-terrorism-from-pakistan-251819">bilateral meeting between the two leaders</a>.

India raised the challenges it has been facing with regard to terror especially in Jammu and Kashmir since last 30 years, Gokhale also&nbsp;said.

New Delhi has repeatedly maintained that dialogue with Pakistan will not be initiated until it takes concrete action against terror emanating from its soil.

Gokhale also said that during the meeting, Modi told Trump that radicalisation is fading away from India, a fact appreciated by the US President.

"The Prime Minister told President Trump that there has been a significantly lower level of radicalisation in India than there has been in any other part of the world. President Trump acknowledged and took note of the fact," the Foreign Secretary remarked.

Watch: Indian PM Modi &amp; US President Trump's meet at UN for bilateral talks

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The latest development comes as PM Modi and his Pakistan counterpart Imran Khan are expected to cross paths with each other at the United Nations headquarters in New York today.

As the UN General Assembly session formally opens, at least one occasion could present itself when Modi and Khan would be under the same roof -- an eagerly-awaited optic amid khan's attempt to draw global attention to Jammu and Kashmir following the abrogation of Article 370 which Indian government maintains is an internal matter.

That said, while Modi and Khan may chance upon each other at various engagements slated for today, it is speculative at best to assume that the two will confront each other at the United Nations.&nbsp;

Both Indian prime minister and his Pakistan counterpart would address the UN general assembly on September 27.

PM Modi and&nbsp;US President sat together in New York on Tuesday for the third time in the last few months and while endorsing each other also announced both working on a trade deal.

The meeting lasted between 30 to 45 minutes, Gokhale said, adding, "India was quite satisfied with the meeting".

India is not shying away from talks with Pakistan but we expect certain concrete steps to be taken by the neighbouring country first, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said to US President Donald Trump during the bilateral meeting on the sidelines of United Nations General Assembly in New york.

India is not shying away from talks with Pakistan but we expect certain concrete steps to be taken by the neighbouring country first, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said to US President Donald Trump during the bilateral meeting on the sidelines of United Nations General Assembly in New york. "The Prime Minister made it clear (to Trump) that we are not shying away from talks with Pakistan but we expect certain concrete steps to be taken by Pakistan before that, and we don't find any efforts by them," Foreign Secretary Vijay Gokhale told reporters at a briefing in Delhi after the bilateral meeting between the two leaders. India raised the challenges it has been facing with regard to terror especially in Jammu and Kashmir since last 30 years, Gokhale also said. New Delhi has repeatedly maintained that dialogue with Pakistan will not be initiated until it takes concrete action against terror emanating from its soil. Gokhale also said that during the meeting, Modi told Trump that radicalisation is fading away from India, a fact appreciated by the US President. "The Prime Minister told President Trump that there has been a significantly lower level of radicalisation in India than there has been in any other part of the world. President Trump acknowledged and took note of the fact," the Foreign Secretary remarked. Watch: Indian PM Modi & US President Trump's meet at UN for bilateral talks × The latest development comes as PM Modi and his Pakistan counterpart Imran Khan are expected to cross paths with each other at the United Nations headquarters in New York today. As the UN General Assembly session formally opens, at least one occasion could present itself when Modi and Khan would be under the same roof -- an eagerly-awaited optic amid khan's attempt to draw global attention to Jammu and Kashmir following the abrogation of Article 370 which Indian government maintains is an internal matter. That said, while Modi and Khan may chance upon each other at various engagements slated for today, it is speculative at best to assume that the two will confront each other at the United Nations. Both Indian prime minister and his Pakistan counterpart would address the UN general assembly on September 27. PM Modi and US President sat together in New York on Tuesday for the third time in the last few months and while endorsing each other also announced both working on a trade deal. The meeting lasted between 30 to 45 minutes, Gokhale said, adding, "India was quite satisfied with the meeting".

India not shying away from talks with Pakistan: PM Modi tells Donald Trump in New York

Indian shares fell on Wednesday, tracking broader Asia as investors braced for prospects of prolonged political uncertainty in the United States after the launch of a formal impeachment inquiry against President Donald Trump.

Democrats in the US&nbsp;House of Representatives on Tuesday launched a formal <a href="https://www.wionews.com/business-economy/asian-markets-fall-as-impeachment-process-against-donald-trump-begins-251880">impeachment inquiry</a> into President Trump, accusing him of seeking foreign help to smear Democratic rival Joe Biden ahead of next year's election.

"After the news from the US, we might be on tenterhooks, but we as an economy do not have much to worry," said Gaurang Shah, senior vice president at Geojit Financial Services.

"The outcome remains to be seen."

Compounding investors' fears, Trump's remarks at the United Nations Assembly on Tuesday accused China of currency manipulation and intellectual property theft risked riling a tariff dispute that has embroiled global equities over the past year.

The broader NSE Nifty was down 0.64 per cent&nbsp;at 11,511.45, as of 0406 GMT, while the benchmark BSE Sensex fell 0.69 per cent to 38,818.06.

MSCI's broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan was down 0.82 per cent.

Public sector banks and autos led the losses in India, with the Nifty PSU Bank Index shedding 2.16 per cent, while the Nifty Auto Index declined 1.45 per cent.

State Bank of India, the country's biggest lender by assets, dropped 2.78 per cent and was among the top decliners on the blue-chip NSE Nifty, while Tata Motors fell 3.13 per cent.&nbsp;

Among gainers, Power Grid Corp rose 2.15 per cent, while Reliance Industries and Tata Consultancy Services, the country's top two most valuable companies, gained about 1 per cent&nbsp;each.

Indian shares fell on Wednesday, tracking broader Asia as investors braced for prospects of prolonged political uncertainty in the United States after the launch of a formal impeachment inquiry against President Donald Trump.

Indian shares fell on Wednesday, tracking broader Asia as investors braced for prospects of prolonged political uncertainty in the United States after the launch of a formal impeachment inquiry against President Donald Trump. Democrats in the US House of Representatives on Tuesday launched a formal impeachment inquiry into President Trump, accusing him of seeking foreign help to smear Democratic rival Joe Biden ahead of next year's election. "After the news from the US, we might be on tenterhooks, but we as an economy do not have much to worry," said Gaurang Shah, senior vice president at Geojit Financial Services. "The outcome remains to be seen." Compounding investors' fears, Trump's remarks at the United Nations Assembly on Tuesday accused China of currency manipulation and intellectual property theft risked riling a tariff dispute that has embroiled global equities over the past year. The broader NSE Nifty was down 0.64 per cent at 11,511.45, as of 0406 GMT, while the benchmark BSE Sensex fell 0.69 per cent to 38,818.06. MSCI's broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan was down 0.82 per cent. Public sector banks and autos led the losses in India, with the Nifty PSU Bank Index shedding 2.16 per cent, while the Nifty Auto Index declined 1.45 per cent. State Bank of India, the country's biggest lender by assets, dropped 2.78 per cent and was among the top decliners on the blue-chip NSE Nifty, while Tata Motors fell 3.13 per cent. Among gainers, Power Grid Corp rose 2.15 per cent, while Reliance Industries and Tata Consultancy Services, the country's top two most valuable companies, gained about 1 per cent each.

Nifty, Sensex track broader Asia lower on US political worries

Trump urges to mediate again; Is he playing both sides? Watch video to know more.

Trump urges to mediate again; Is he playing both sides?

Facing acute&nbsp;fuel&nbsp;shortages&nbsp;in their own country,&nbsp;Haitians&nbsp;took a chance to cross the border into the&nbsp;Dominican&nbsp;Republic&nbsp;in search of&nbsp;petrol&nbsp;on Monday.

Dozens were seen crossing the border and gathering around a&nbsp;petrol&nbsp;station in Dajabon, the capital city of the Dajabon province in the&nbsp;Dominican&nbsp;Republic, on the border with Haiti.

Haitians&nbsp;complained they need&nbsp;fuel&nbsp;to survive, while police in the&nbsp;Dominican&nbsp;Republic&nbsp;tighten their grip on security.

A dispute between Haiti and a US&nbsp;energy trading firm has to lead to long blackouts and&nbsp;fuel&nbsp;shortages&nbsp;in the Caribbean nation, feeding anger at President Jovenel Moise's government following the collapse of a supply deal with Venezuela last year.

The Western Hemisphere's poorest nation, Haiti long relied on&nbsp;fuel&nbsp;shipments from nearby OPEC member Venezuela, which offered cheap financing to several Caribbean nations to buy its gasoline, diesel and other products through a program called Petrocaribe.

But the scheme fell apart last year due to economic turmoil in Venezuela, forcing Haiti, a nation of 11 million people to return to international markets.

The result has put upward pressure on the prices of goods.

Facing acute fuel shortages in their own country, Haitians took a chance to cross the border into the Dominican Republic in search of petrol on Monday. Dozens were seen crossing the border and gathering around a petrol station in Dajabon, the capital city of the Dajabon province in the Dominican Republic, on the border with Haiti.

Facing acute fuel shortages in their own country, Haitians took a chance to cross the border into the Dominican Republic in search of petrol on Monday. Dozens were seen crossing the border and gathering around a petrol station in Dajabon, the capital city of the Dajabon province in the Dominican Republic, on the border with Haiti. Haitians complained they need fuel to survive, while police in the Dominican Republic tighten their grip on security. A dispute between Haiti and a US energy trading firm has to lead to long blackouts and fuel shortages in the Caribbean nation, feeding anger at President Jovenel Moise's government following the collapse of a supply deal with Venezuela last year. The Western Hemisphere's poorest nation, Haiti long relied on fuel shipments from nearby OPEC member Venezuela, which offered cheap financing to several Caribbean nations to buy its gasoline, diesel and other products through a program called Petrocaribe. But the scheme fell apart last year due to economic turmoil in Venezuela, forcing Haiti, a nation of 11 million people to return to international markets. The result has put upward pressure on the prices of goods.

Fuel shortages drive Haitians into the Dominican Republic for petrol

Day 3 of PM Modi's United States visit. Watch video to know more.

Day 3 of PM Modi's United States visit

A <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-japan-trade-agreement-will-be-model-for-indo-pacific-pence-177013">US-Japan trade deal</a> hit a last-minute snag as Japanese officials sought assurances that the Trump administration will not impose national security tariffs on Japanese-built cars and auto parts, people familiar with the talks said on Monday.

US President Donald Trump and Japanese Prime Minister <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-japan-agree-trade-deal-in-principle-245579">Shinzo Abe</a> have been aiming to sign a trade deal at a meeting this week during the United Nations General Assembly in New York that provides increased access to Japan for US agricultural goods and bilateral cuts in industrial goods tariffs.

But the limited trade deal is not expected to include changes to tariffs and trade rules governing autos, the biggest source of the $67.6 billion US&nbsp;trade deficit with Japan.

Trump has refrained thus far from following through on his threat to impose tariffs of up to 25 per cent&nbsp;on Japanese and European car and parts imports, citing ongoing trade negotiations with these partners.

The New York Times earlier reported that Japan was demanding a "sunset clause" that would cancel any trade benefits for the United States if Trump imposes the auto tariffs on Japanese vehicles.

Japanese Foreign Ministry spokesman Masato Ohtaka said that Japan still hoped to sign the US&nbsp;trade deal by the end of September and that there was still time to work out remaining issues.

"Frankly speaking, we still have some time and all my colleagues in the government are making their best efforts to actually meet this target," Ohtaka said.

"With the UN&nbsp;General Assembly meeting in mind, we are accelerating the remaining work, including the wording of a trade agreement", Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga said.

Executives at two automakers briefed on the matter said Japan has expressed concerns about signing a deal without assurances that Trump will refrain from imposing tariffs on Japanese automotive exports as he benefits from Japanese agricultural concessions.

These people, speaking on condition of anonymity, confirmed that the issue could delay the signing of a US-Japan trade deal until subsequent weeks.

Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi told reporters after talks with US&nbsp;Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer that significant work was underway to finalise the deal but that he did not expect much delay beyond an end-September target signing off on the deal. He added that he expected a "good ceremony" when Abe and Trump meet.

"I think the content will not be something to worry about", Motegi said about the US threat of added tariffs on Japanese autos.

Details of the US-Japan trade deal have not been disclosed, but people familiar with it say that it will provide US&nbsp;farmers who have been battered by the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-japan-to-open-trade-talks-amid-china-deal-optimism-210692">US&nbsp;trade war with China</a> some relief through increased access to Japan, including for American beef and pork.

But some people say it will provide less than the access they would have received had the United States remained in the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade deal, which Trump pulled the United States out of on his third day in office in January 2017.

The deal also includes a modernization of digital trade rules, which is expected to reinforce the US&nbsp;model of internet development, prohibiting cross-border taxation of e-commerce and data localization requirements.

Trump and Abe, a year ago at the UN&nbsp;General Assembly agreed to discuss an arrangement that protects Japanese automakers from further tariffs while negotiations are underway.

The trade deal would not require congressional approval, using a trade law provision that allows the US&nbsp;President to make executive agreements to mutually reduce tariffs with a foreign trading partner.

A US-Japan trade deal hit a last-minute snag as Japanese officials sought assurances that the Trump administration will not impose national security tariffs on Japanese-built cars and auto parts, people familiar with the talks said on Monday.

A US-Japan trade deal hit a last-minute snag as Japanese officials sought assurances that the Trump administration will not impose national security tariffs on Japanese-built cars and auto parts, people familiar with the talks said on Monday. US President Donald Trump and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe have been aiming to sign a trade deal at a meeting this week during the United Nations General Assembly in New York that provides increased access to Japan for US agricultural goods and bilateral cuts in industrial goods tariffs. But the limited trade deal is not expected to include changes to tariffs and trade rules governing autos, the biggest source of the $67.6 billion US trade deficit with Japan. Trump has refrained thus far from following through on his threat to impose tariffs of up to 25 per cent on Japanese and European car and parts imports, citing ongoing trade negotiations with these partners. The New York Times earlier reported that Japan was demanding a "sunset clause" that would cancel any trade benefits for the United States if Trump imposes the auto tariffs on Japanese vehicles. Japanese Foreign Ministry spokesman Masato Ohtaka said that Japan still hoped to sign the US trade deal by the end of September and that there was still time to work out remaining issues. "Frankly speaking, we still have some time and all my colleagues in the government are making their best efforts to actually meet this target," Ohtaka said. "With the UN General Assembly meeting in mind, we are accelerating the remaining work, including the wording of a trade agreement", Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga said. Executives at two automakers briefed on the matter said Japan has expressed concerns about signing a deal without assurances that Trump will refrain from imposing tariffs on Japanese automotive exports as he benefits from Japanese agricultural concessions. These people, speaking on condition of anonymity, confirmed that the issue could delay the signing of a US-Japan trade deal until subsequent weeks. Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi told reporters after talks with US Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer that significant work was underway to finalise the deal but that he did not expect much delay beyond an end-September target signing off on the deal. He added that he expected a "good ceremony" when Abe and Trump meet. "I think the content will not be something to worry about", Motegi said about the US threat of added tariffs on Japanese autos. Details of the US-Japan trade deal have not been disclosed, but people familiar with it say that it will provide US farmers who have been battered by the US trade war with China some relief through increased access to Japan, including for American beef and pork. But some people say it will provide less than the access they would have received had the United States remained in the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade deal, which Trump pulled the United States out of on his third day in office in January 2017. The deal also includes a modernization of digital trade rules, which is expected to reinforce the US model of internet development, prohibiting cross-border taxation of e-commerce and data localization requirements. Trump and Abe, a year ago at the UN General Assembly agreed to discuss an arrangement that protects Japanese automakers from further tariffs while negotiations are underway. The trade deal would not require congressional approval, using a trade law provision that allows the US President to make executive agreements to mutually reduce tariffs with a foreign trading partner.

US-Japan trade deal hits snag as Tokyo seeks assurances on car tariffs

A joint operation was carried out by US and Afghan <a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/us-drone-strike-kills-30-civilians-in-afghanistan-40-injured-250672">troops</a> against proscribed terror groups Al-Qaeda and Taliban in a compound in Afghanistan's Helmand province in which four terrorists were killed while several other militants were detained.

The operation was carried out in Musa Qala, a Taliban stronghold in Helmand, according to the National Security Council (NSC) of Afghanistan.

The NSC said that AQIS leader Asim Umar, who was the target, was in the compound. While it did not elaborate on Umar's status, it, however, informed that his courier, who was tasked with delivering messages to Al-Qaeda chief Ayman al-Zawahiri was killed.

Taliban's Explosives Chief for Helmand and two other deputies were also killed in the operation.

The NSC said that six Pakistani females, including a woman identified as Umar's wife, were in custody while eight Taliban and several foreign terrorists were also detained.

During the operation, the troops seized and destroyed Taliban weapons and ammunition.

The <a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/afghanistan-blast-in-kabuls-diplomatic-area-231905">Afghan</a> National Security Council (NSC)&nbsp;said that it was assessing reports of possible civilian casualties.

"Unfortunately, we are hearing reports of possible civilian casualties. As a responsible government, we are still assessing those reports and will address them accordingly," it said.

A joint operation was carried out by US and Afghan troops against proscribed terror groups Al-Qaeda and Taliban in a compound in Afghanistan's Helmand province in which four terrorists were killed while several other militants were detained.

A joint operation was carried out by US and Afghan troops against proscribed terror groups Al-Qaeda and Taliban in a compound in Afghanistan's Helmand province in which four terrorists were killed while several other militants were detained. The operation was carried out in Musa Qala, a Taliban stronghold in Helmand, according to the National Security Council (NSC) of Afghanistan. The NSC said that AQIS leader Asim Umar, who was the target, was in the compound. While it did not elaborate on Umar's status, it, however, informed that his courier, who was tasked with delivering messages to Al-Qaeda chief Ayman al-Zawahiri was killed. Taliban's Explosives Chief for Helmand and two other deputies were also killed in the operation. The NSC said that six Pakistani females, including a woman identified as Umar's wife, were in custody while eight Taliban and several foreign terrorists were also detained. During the operation, the troops seized and destroyed Taliban weapons and ammunition. The Afghan National Security Council (NSC) said that it was assessing reports of possible civilian casualties. "Unfortunately, we are hearing reports of possible civilian casualties. As a responsible government, we are still assessing those reports and will address them accordingly," it said.

4 terrorists killed in joint US-Afghan operation, several detained

North&nbsp;Korea&nbsp;and the United States could resume <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/south-korea-says-us-north-korea-will-restart-dialogue-soon-244718">working-level&nbsp;talks</a>&nbsp;aimed at dismantling the&nbsp;North's nuclear and missile programmes within two to three weeks, South&nbsp;Korean lawmakers who were briefed by a spy agency said on Tuesday.

The lawmakers said that a <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-president-trump-sets-foot-in-north-korea-agrees-with-kim-to-resume-stalled-talks-231711">fourth summit&nbsp;</a>between the North&nbsp;Korean leader Kim Jong Un and US&nbsp;President Donald Trump was possible within this year, if the negotiations make progress, but did not provide clear evidence.

Kim could also visit China for the fifth summit with President Xi Jinping before holding any summit with Trump, the lawmakers told reporters after a briefing by the National Intelligence Service.

North Korea and the United States could resume working-level talks aimed at dismantling the North's nuclear and missile programmes within two to three weeks, South Korean lawmakers who were briefed by a spy agency said on Tuesday.

North Korea and the United States could resume working-level talks aimed at dismantling the North's nuclear and missile programmes within two to three weeks, South Korean lawmakers who were briefed by a spy agency said on Tuesday. The lawmakers said that a fourth summit between the North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and US President Donald Trump was possible within this year, if the negotiations make progress, but did not provide clear evidence. Kim could also visit China for the fifth summit with President Xi Jinping before holding any summit with Trump, the lawmakers told reporters after a briefing by the National Intelligence Service.

Talks between US-North Korea may resume in 2-3 weeks: South Korea's lawmakers

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/5-key-takeaways-pm-modi-trump-meeting-at-howdy-modi-event-in-houston-251337">Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Donald Trump</a> share a great synergy and their second meeting within a span of two days will take the India-US relations to greater heights, said Consul General of India in New York, Sandeep Chakravarty, on Tuesday.

"There is a great deal of synergy between the two leaders. They talk on the phone, meet on sidelines, they met in Houston the day before. Our relationship is on a continuous climb. They are going to meet again in a span of two days which shows that they value each other's friendship and relationship and they will take the relationship ahead," Chakravarty told ANI here.

He also expressed hope that the meeting between Modi and Trump will help in resolving the trade issues between the two countries.

"The trade issue is one of the focal points of the current US administration. They're looking at it with renewed vision. I don't see why the US administration won't look closely at trade with India. The India-US trade relationship is also growing," said Chakravarty.

Calling the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/after-howdy-modi-trump-and-pm-modi-could-sign-trade-deal-251028">US-India relationship</a> most important in the world, he said that the mutual bond has been benefiting both the countries.

"This is the most important bilateral relationship in the world. Several US leaders also accept this and have said publicly. For the US, I believe, this the most transformed relationship. For India, the relations have gone from nothing to where it is today in the last 20 years. The trade between India and the US stood at USD 5 billion in 2000, and today, it stands at almost USD 150 billion," Chakravarty said.

He said that Sunday's "<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/diversity-foundation-of-our-vibrant-democracy-says-pm-modi-at-howdy-modi-251322">Howdy, Modi</a>" event in Houston has sent an "amazing" message across the world and hoped that it would help take the US-India relationship to new heights.

"The Houston event has taken the India-US relations to a new height. The message which has gone across India and the world is amazing," Chakravarty said, adding that the relationship is growing in every field including people to people contact, trade, science and technology and space.

Modi and Trump jointly addressed the 'Howdy, Modi!'&nbsp;event in Houston, Texas on Sunday.

The bonhomie between the two leaders was in full display at the event where they echoed similar sentiments on several issues including "radical Islamic terrorism", trade and defence.

The two leaders are scheduled to meet again on Tuesday afternoon in New York.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Donald Trump share a great synergy and their second meeting within a span of two days will take the India-US relations to greater heights, said Consul General of India in New York, Sandeep Chakravarty, on Tuesday.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Donald Trump share a great synergy and their second meeting within a span of two days will take the India-US relations to greater heights, said Consul General of India in New York, Sandeep Chakravarty, on Tuesday. "There is a great deal of synergy between the two leaders. They talk on the phone, meet on sidelines, they met in Houston the day before. Our relationship is on a continuous climb. They are going to meet again in a span of two days which shows that they value each other's friendship and relationship and they will take the relationship ahead," Chakravarty told ANI here. He also expressed hope that the meeting between Modi and Trump will help in resolving the trade issues between the two countries. "The trade issue is one of the focal points of the current US administration. They're looking at it with renewed vision. I don't see why the US administration won't look closely at trade with India. The India-US trade relationship is also growing," said Chakravarty. Calling the US-India relationship most important in the world, he said that the mutual bond has been benefiting both the countries. "This is the most important bilateral relationship in the world. Several US leaders also accept this and have said publicly. For the US, I believe, this the most transformed relationship. For India, the relations have gone from nothing to where it is today in the last 20 years. The trade between India and the US stood at USD 5 billion in 2000, and today, it stands at almost USD 150 billion," Chakravarty said. He said that Sunday's "Howdy, Modi" event in Houston has sent an "amazing" message across the world and hoped that it would help take the US-India relationship to new heights. "The Houston event has taken the India-US relations to a new height. The message which has gone across India and the world is amazing," Chakravarty said, adding that the relationship is growing in every field including people to people contact, trade, science and technology and space. Modi and Trump jointly addressed the 'Howdy, Modi!' event in Houston, Texas on Sunday. The bonhomie between the two leaders was in full display at the event where they echoed similar sentiments on several issues including "radical Islamic terrorism", trade and defence. The two leaders are scheduled to meet again on Tuesday afternoon in New York.

India-US share 'most important bilateral relationship in the world': Consul General of India in New York

Joe Walsh and Bill Weld, two of the three Republicans challenging President Donald Trump for their party's 2020 presidential nomination, are set to meet in a debate on Tuesday, hoping to bring attention to their long-shot candidacies.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/donald-trump-says-hassan-rouhani-meeting-not-scheduled-as-speculation-swirls-251612">Trump </a>will not take part in the event in New York hosted by the website Business Insider, nor will the third candidate seeking the Republican nomination, former South Carolina governor and congressman Mark Sanford.

The debate featuring Walsh, a radio talk-show host and former US congressman from Illinois, and Weld, a former Massachusetts governor, is not sanctioned by the Republican Party, which has thrown its full support behind Trump. Sanford cited a scheduling conflict for missing the event.

Walsh, Weld and Sanford, in a joint article published in the Washington Post this month, called Trump "a serial self-promoter" who is steering the party away from "personal responsibility, fiscal sanity, and rule of law."

Trump is expected to coast to victory in his quest for the Republican nomination before facing the Democratic Party's nominee in the November 2020 election. A Sept. 16-20 Reuters/Ipsos poll showed that 82 per cent of registered Republicans approved of Trump's job performance.

Walsh, Weld, and Sanford complained about being shut out of the nomination contest. Republican Party officials in Alaska, Arizona, Kansas, Nevada and South Carolina already have said they would not host nominating contests in their states next year, cutting off any chance for the challengers to win delegates who will choose the Republican candidate at the party's convention.

"We're in the process of doing serious and lasting harm to the Republican Party brand," Sanford told Reuters on Friday. "We need to stand up and have a robust conversation about what it means to be Republicans."

Trump has dismissed his challengers as a "joke" and "laughingstock," calling them the "Three Stooges," a reference to a popular mid-20th-century comedy team that portrayed inept bunglers.

Asked to explain Trump's decision not to participate in the debate, Erin Perrine, a deputy communications director for the Trump campaign, said, "Pointless."

Walsh, 57, served in the House of Representatives for two years and then became a radio talk-show host. Weld, 74, touts a fiscally conservative record as well as his work on gay rights and environmental issues. He ran unsuccessfully for vice president in 2016 on the Libertarian Party's ticket

Joe Walsh and Bill Weld, two of the three Republicans challenging President Donald Trump for their party's 2020 presidential nomination, are set to meet in a debate on Tuesday, hoping to bring attention to their long-shot candidacies.

Joe Walsh and Bill Weld, two of the three Republicans challenging President Donald Trump for their party's 2020 presidential nomination, are set to meet in a debate on Tuesday, hoping to bring attention to their long-shot candidacies. Trump will not take part in the event in New York hosted by the website Business Insider, nor will the third candidate seeking the Republican nomination, former South Carolina governor and congressman Mark Sanford. The debate featuring Walsh, a radio talk-show host and former US congressman from Illinois, and Weld, a former Massachusetts governor, is not sanctioned by the Republican Party, which has thrown its full support behind Trump. Sanford cited a scheduling conflict for missing the event. Walsh, Weld and Sanford, in a joint article published in the Washington Post this month, called Trump "a serial self-promoter" who is steering the party away from "personal responsibility, fiscal sanity, and rule of law." Trump is expected to coast to victory in his quest for the Republican nomination before facing the Democratic Party's nominee in the November 2020 election. A Sept. 16-20 Reuters/Ipsos poll showed that 82 per cent of registered Republicans approved of Trump's job performance. Walsh, Weld, and Sanford complained about being shut out of the nomination contest. Republican Party officials in Alaska, Arizona, Kansas, Nevada and South Carolina already have said they would not host nominating contests in their states next year, cutting off any chance for the challengers to win delegates who will choose the Republican candidate at the party's convention. "We're in the process of doing serious and lasting harm to the Republican Party brand," Sanford told Reuters on Friday. "We need to stand up and have a robust conversation about what it means to be Republicans." Trump has dismissed his challengers as a "joke" and "laughingstock," calling them the "Three Stooges," a reference to a popular mid-20th-century comedy team that portrayed inept bunglers. Asked to explain Trump's decision not to participate in the debate, Erin Perrine, a deputy communications director for the Trump campaign, said, "Pointless." Walsh, 57, served in the House of Representatives for two years and then became a radio talk-show host. Weld, 74, touts a fiscally conservative record as well as his work on gay rights and environmental issues. He ran unsuccessfully for vice president in 2016 on the Libertarian Party's ticket

Two of Trump's Republican challengers to debate without him

Iranian President Hassan&nbsp;Rouhani&nbsp;met French President Emmanuel&nbsp;Macron&nbsp;on the sidelines of the UN&nbsp;General Assembly on Monday.

Macron&nbsp;plans to&nbsp;meet&nbsp;US&nbsp;President Donald Trump on Tuesday as he seeks to defuse tensions between Washington and Tehran.

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani met French President Emmanuel Macron on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly on Monday. Macron plans to meet US President Donald Trump on Tuesday as he seeks to defuse tensions between Washington and Tehran.

Rouhani, Macron meet at UN summit

China on Monday called on developed countries to lead by example in reducing emissions as dozens of<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/time-for-talks-is-over-world-needs-to-act-now-pm-modi-at-un-climate-change-summit-251563"> world leaders&nbsp;gathered at the United Nations Climate Summit</a> on Monday to discuss measures to try and slowdown ever-more dangerous trends in climate change.&nbsp;

China which is&nbsp;the world's biggest carbon emitter by far but also a leader in renewables was represented by foreign minister Wang Yi at the summit.

The Chinese foreign minister&nbsp;said:&nbsp;"We must honour our commitments, follow through on the Paris Agreement and its implementation guidelines and see to it that both the summit and the COP25 will produce positive outcomes that will we inject fresh impetus into the post-2020 multilateral process."&nbsp;

Meanwhile, Yi also took a dig at the US saying that it would continue to fight global warming without "certain parties".

"The withdrawal of certain parties will not shake the collective will of the international community nor will it possibly reverse the historical trend of international cooperation," Yi said in reference to the US withdrawal from the Paris Agreement under President Donald Trump.

Watch: Young climate activists keep pressure on world leaders

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The Chinese foreign minister also told world leaders that his country&nbsp;would honour its obligations under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and the Paris Agreement.&nbsp;However, he failed to make any fresh pledges to curb carbon dioxide emissions.

He also vowed that China's Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) -&nbsp;President Xi Jinping's controversial plan to rebuild the old Silk Road to connect China with Asia, Europe and beyond -&nbsp;would be green and sustainable.

"We will continue to jointly build a Green Belt and Road through the BRI International Green Development Coalition and other platforms. We are mobilising stronger support for international cooperation against climate change," Yi said.

China had previously concentrated on reducing emissions from its heavy industrial sectors, while maintaining high levels of economic growth, but the approach has been subject to diminishing returns.

It recently changed plans to "proactively promote" nature-based solutions such as reforestation and the expansion of grasslands and wetlands. Total forest reserves in the country rose by 4.56 billion cubic meters between 2005 and 2018, and forests now account for just under 23 per cent of total land.

(With inputs from agencies) 
&nbsp;

China on Monday called on developed countries to lead by example in reducing emissions as dozens of world leaders gathered at the United Nations Climate Summit on Monday to discuss measures to try and slowdown ever-more dangerous trends in climate change.

China on Monday called on developed countries to lead by example in reducing emissions as dozens of world leaders gathered at the United Nations Climate Summit on Monday to discuss measures to try and slowdown ever-more dangerous trends in climate change. China which is the world's biggest carbon emitter by far but also a leader in renewables was represented by foreign minister Wang Yi at the summit. The Chinese foreign minister said: "We must honour our commitments, follow through on the Paris Agreement and its implementation guidelines and see to it that both the summit and the COP25 will produce positive outcomes that will we inject fresh impetus into the post-2020 multilateral process." Meanwhile, Yi also took a dig at the US saying that it would continue to fight global warming without "certain parties". "The withdrawal of certain parties will not shake the collective will of the international community nor will it possibly reverse the historical trend of international cooperation," Yi said in reference to the US withdrawal from the Paris Agreement under President Donald Trump. Watch: Young climate activists keep pressure on world leaders × The Chinese foreign minister also told world leaders that his country would honour its obligations under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and the Paris Agreement. However, he failed to make any fresh pledges to curb carbon dioxide emissions. He also vowed that China's Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) - President Xi Jinping's controversial plan to rebuild the old Silk Road to connect China with Asia, Europe and beyond - would be green and sustainable. "We will continue to jointly build a Green Belt and Road through the BRI International Green Development Coalition and other platforms. We are mobilising stronger support for international cooperation against climate change," Yi said. China had previously concentrated on reducing emissions from its heavy industrial sectors, while maintaining high levels of economic growth, but the approach has been subject to diminishing returns. It recently changed plans to "proactively promote" nature-based solutions such as reforestation and the expansion of grasslands and wetlands. Total forest reserves in the country rose by 4.56 billion cubic meters between 2005 and 2018, and forests now account for just under 23 per cent of total land. (With inputs from agencies)

China's foreign minister Wang Yi takes swipe at US during UN climate summit

The Indian Diaspora Is One Of The Richest & The Most Influential Communities In The U.S.

Gravitas: The might of Indian Diaspora

The United States will co-host an event on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly on China's treatment of Muslim minorities including ethnic Uighurs, the US State Department said in a statement on Monday.

The United States will co-host an event on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly on China's treatment of Muslim minorities including ethnic Uighurs, the US State Department said in a statement on Monday. The event on Tuesday will be hosted by US Deputy Secretary of State John Sullivan and will feature personal stories of victims, the statement said. It did not identify other hosts. "China’s repression campaign includes, among other abuses, the mass detention of more than one million individuals in internment camps since April 2017," the State Department said. UN experts and activists say at least 1 million Uighurs and members of other largely Muslim minority groups have been detained in camps in the remote Xinjiang region. Beijing describes complexes in Xinjiang as "vocational training centres" helping to stamp out extremism and give people new skills. Washington has been weighing how to confront China on the issue at the annual gathering of world leaders in New York this week. On Sunday, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo urged all countries in the world to resist China's demands to repatriate Uighurs. Pompeo said Beijing's campaign in the western Chinese region of Xinjiang was an "attempt to erase its own citizens." Pompeo and US Vice President Mike Pence could also address China's treatment of the Uighurs at events this week, but a final decision on any US remarks "is expected to hinge on how the trade issue is going," an administration official said last week. China and the United States are fighting a trade war and are set to resume trade talks in October.

US to co-host event at United Nations on China's treatment of Uighurs

The <a href="https://www.wionews.com/opinions/wion-edit-us-taliban-talks-cancelled-impact-on-india-248667">collapse of US–Taliban talks</a> is an untimely setback for Pakistan, which had hoped its efforts to bring the militants to the table would be rewarded with an economic boost and American support over Kashmir.

Prime Minister Imran Khan has promised to issue a rallying cry at the United Nations General Assembly in New York next week over India's moves in the Himalayan region, which he has described as ethnic cleansing, and warned of "impending genocide".

But Pakistan, long condemned for its support for militant groups, needs political capital if it is to sway a global community that has been historically reluctant to challenge New Delhi over Kashmir.

Helping the United States with its fervent wish to leave Afghanistan after nearly 18 years of war was widely seen as an opportunity to get back into Washington's good books after years of being accused of duplicity.

For a brief moment in July, it appeared to be working.

President Donald Trump delighted Khan in Washington by declaring his willingness to mediate on Kashmir.

New Delhi repeated its position that Kashmir is a purely bilateral issue with Islamabad and dismissed the possibility of foreign mediation, but still, Pakistan's star once again appeared on the rise in Washington.

The relief was short-lived.

Last month, Prime Minister Narendra Modi led government abrogated article 370 which gave special status to the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir.

The move ignited outrage in Pakistan. And as Islamabad scrambled to win international support for its position on Kashmir, in a separate twist, Trump abruptly called off talks with the Taliban, blowing up nearly a year of painstaking efforts to secure a deal that would have seen the beginning of US troop withdrawal.

Pakistan has for years called for a political solution in Afghanistan and had used its influence over the Taliban to help facilitate talks with the United States, hoping a successful outcome would help generate diplomatic capital.

"Until Pakistan gets Afghanistan settled, they are not going to find it easy to respond to India's action in Kashmir so they are certainly in a bit of a bind," Expert Myra MacDonald told AFP.

Khan told reporters last week that he will meet with the US President on Monday to urge a resumption of talks with the Taliban.

Khan will take zero comfort from Trump’s beaming participation in a massive "Howdy Modi" rally in Texas on Sunday, during which the Indian leader offered a staunch and unchallenged defence of his move in Kashmir and took several, thinly-veiled swipes at Pakistan as a sponsor of terrorism.

Trump told the 50,000 crowd of mostly Indian-Americans that Modi was doing an "exceptional job".

Tough times

The talks collapse comes at an especially delicate time in Pakistan, where frustrations are mounting just a year into Khan's rule with the economy under immense stress, and officials are struggling to raise revenues while slashing spending under an International Monetary Fund bailout agreement.

They are also bracing for a decision next month by the Financial Action Task Force, an anti-money-laundering monitor based in Paris that has threatened to blacklist Pakistan for failing to combat terror financing.

"Pakistan remains in dire financial straits and could really use some goodwill from the US and its allies," Graeme Smith, a consultant with International Crisis Group, told AFP.

The end of the Taliban talks, and the sudden uncertainty about how Islamabad is viewed by the mercurial Trump administration suggest American help in easing Pakistan's financial pain may be difficult to come by.

"Pakistan has invested a lot in these talks," said analyst Zahid Hussain.

"This abrupt ending... is a setback."

'Considerable influence'

Khan now faces the unsavoury task of weathering increased pressure from a White House more interested in Afghanistan than Kashmir.

Kabul and Washington have long accused Pakistan of sheltering and supporting the Taliban, an allegation it denies.

Security expert Rahimullah Yusufzai said that with talks off, Washington is likely to increase pressure on Islamabad once against to clamp down on the Taliban.

The militant group has vowed more violence but left the door open for talks, while the US has insisted they meet certain conditions first.

"It will be a 'do more' sort of situation" for Pakistan, Yusufzai explained.

But Pakistani military expert Ayesha Siddiqa argued that Islamabad still has a card to play.

"They have considerable influence to talk to the Taliban if not to make them act totally according to Islamabad's wishes," she said.

"They can try to convince them." 
&nbsp; 
&nbsp;

The collapse of US–Taliban talks is an untimely setback for Pakistan, which had hoped its efforts to bring the militants to the table would be rewarded with an economic boost and American support over Kashmir.

The collapse of US–Taliban talks is an untimely setback for Pakistan, which had hoped its efforts to bring the militants to the table would be rewarded with an economic boost and American support over Kashmir. Prime Minister Imran Khan has promised to issue a rallying cry at the United Nations General Assembly in New York next week over India's moves in the Himalayan region, which he has described as ethnic cleansing, and warned of "impending genocide". But Pakistan, long condemned for its support for militant groups, needs political capital if it is to sway a global community that has been historically reluctant to challenge New Delhi over Kashmir. Helping the United States with its fervent wish to leave Afghanistan after nearly 18 years of war was widely seen as an opportunity to get back into Washington's good books after years of being accused of duplicity. For a brief moment in July, it appeared to be working. President Donald Trump delighted Khan in Washington by declaring his willingness to mediate on Kashmir. New Delhi repeated its position that Kashmir is a purely bilateral issue with Islamabad and dismissed the possibility of foreign mediation, but still, Pakistan's star once again appeared on the rise in Washington. The relief was short-lived. Last month, Prime Minister Narendra Modi led government abrogated article 370 which gave special status to the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir. The move ignited outrage in Pakistan. And as Islamabad scrambled to win international support for its position on Kashmir, in a separate twist, Trump abruptly called off talks with the Taliban, blowing up nearly a year of painstaking efforts to secure a deal that would have seen the beginning of US troop withdrawal. Pakistan has for years called for a political solution in Afghanistan and had used its influence over the Taliban to help facilitate talks with the United States, hoping a successful outcome would help generate diplomatic capital. "Until Pakistan gets Afghanistan settled, they are not going to find it easy to respond to India's action in Kashmir so they are certainly in a bit of a bind," Expert Myra MacDonald told AFP. Khan told reporters last week that he will meet with the US President on Monday to urge a resumption of talks with the Taliban. Khan will take zero comfort from Trump’s beaming participation in a massive "Howdy Modi" rally in Texas on Sunday, during which the Indian leader offered a staunch and unchallenged defence of his move in Kashmir and took several, thinly-veiled swipes at Pakistan as a sponsor of terrorism. Trump told the 50,000 crowd of mostly Indian-Americans that Modi was doing an "exceptional job". Tough times The talks collapse comes at an especially delicate time in Pakistan, where frustrations are mounting just a year into Khan's rule with the economy under immense stress, and officials are struggling to raise revenues while slashing spending under an International Monetary Fund bailout agreement. They are also bracing for a decision next month by the Financial Action Task Force, an anti-money-laundering monitor based in Paris that has threatened to blacklist Pakistan for failing to combat terror financing. "Pakistan remains in dire financial straits and could really use some goodwill from the US and its allies," Graeme Smith, a consultant with International Crisis Group, told AFP. The end of the Taliban talks, and the sudden uncertainty about how Islamabad is viewed by the mercurial Trump administration suggest American help in easing Pakistan's financial pain may be difficult to come by. "Pakistan has invested a lot in these talks," said analyst Zahid Hussain. "This abrupt ending... is a setback." 'Considerable influence' Khan now faces the unsavoury task of weathering increased pressure from a White House more interested in Afghanistan than Kashmir. Kabul and Washington have long accused Pakistan of sheltering and supporting the Taliban, an allegation it denies. Security expert Rahimullah Yusufzai said that with talks off, Washington is likely to increase pressure on Islamabad once against to clamp down on the Taliban. The militant group has vowed more violence but left the door open for talks, while the US has insisted they meet certain conditions first. "It will be a 'do more' sort of situation" for Pakistan, Yusufzai explained. But Pakistani military expert Ayesha Siddiqa argued that Islamabad still has a card to play. "They have considerable influence to talk to the Taliban if not to make them act totally according to Islamabad's wishes," she said. "They can try to convince them."

Collapse of US-Taliban talks an awkward blow for Pakistan

Lawyers for Huawei Chief Financial Officer Meng Wanzhou will be in a Canadian courtroom on Monday to press for details surrounding her arrest at Vancouver's airport nearly 10 months ago.

Meng, 47, was detained on December 1 at the request of the United States, where she is charged with bank fraud and accused of misleading HSBC Holdings Plc about Huawei Technologies Co Ltd's business in Iran. Meng, who is expected in court, has said she is innocent and is fighting extradition.

The arrest has strained China's relations with both the United States and Canada.

At Monday's 10 am (1700 GMT) hearing before Justice Heather Holmes of the British Columbia Supreme Court, Meng's defense team will request more disclosure surrounding her detention at the airport, including contacts between US and Canadian authorities.

Meng's lawyers argue she was unlawfully detained, searched and questioned for over three hours after she landed on a flight from Hong Kong. Under the ruse of an immigration check, the defense claims, Canadian officials delayed her arrest and collected evidence for US authorities.

Extradition proceedings against Meng should be halted if officials abused the process, the lawyers say. Besides accusations of misconduct related to her detention, they argue the United States is using Meng for economic and political gain, noting that after her arrest, US President Donald Trump said he would intervene if it would help close a trade deal.

Lawyers for Canada will respond to the demand for more information about Meng's arrest in court, according to a Canadian Department of Justice spokesman, who added that Meng had already been provided with "extensive disclosure, beyond what is required."

Canadian police and border officers, in response to a civil claim Meng filed earlier this year, have said they acted "lawfully and in good faith."

Vancouver lawyer Gary Botting, who has seen a video of Meng being detained at the airport, said immigration officials came across as "Keystone Cops."

"There are real questions about whether her rights were violated," said Botting, who briefed Meng's defense team on Canada's extradition law after her arrest but is no longer involved with the case.

The extradition hearing itself is not scheduled to start until January.

Meng, the daughter of Huawei founder Ren Zhengfei, spent 10 days in jail in December but was then released on C$10 million ($7.5 million) bail and is living in one of her two multimillion-dollar homes in Vancouver. She is required to wear an electronic ankle bracelet and pay for security guards.

Huawei, the world's largest telecommunications equipment maker, has been accused by the United States of activities contrary to national security or foreign policy interests.

US and Chinese officials resumed trade talks last week, as the world’s two largest economies try to negotiate a way out of their 14-month trade war.

Lawyers for Huawei Chief Financial Officer Meng Wanzhou will be in a Canadian courtroom on Monday to press for details surrounding her arrest at Vancouver's airport nearly 10 months ago.

Lawyers for Huawei Chief Financial Officer Meng Wanzhou will be in a Canadian courtroom on Monday to press for details surrounding her arrest at Vancouver's airport nearly 10 months ago. Meng, 47, was detained on December 1 at the request of the United States, where she is charged with bank fraud and accused of misleading HSBC Holdings Plc about Huawei Technologies Co Ltd's business in Iran. Meng, who is expected in court, has said she is innocent and is fighting extradition. The arrest has strained China's relations with both the United States and Canada. At Monday's 10 am (1700 GMT) hearing before Justice Heather Holmes of the British Columbia Supreme Court, Meng's defense team will request more disclosure surrounding her detention at the airport, including contacts between US and Canadian authorities. Meng's lawyers argue she was unlawfully detained, searched and questioned for over three hours after she landed on a flight from Hong Kong. Under the ruse of an immigration check, the defense claims, Canadian officials delayed her arrest and collected evidence for US authorities. Extradition proceedings against Meng should be halted if officials abused the process, the lawyers say. Besides accusations of misconduct related to her detention, they argue the United States is using Meng for economic and political gain, noting that after her arrest, US President Donald Trump said he would intervene if it would help close a trade deal. Lawyers for Canada will respond to the demand for more information about Meng's arrest in court, according to a Canadian Department of Justice spokesman, who added that Meng had already been provided with "extensive disclosure, beyond what is required." Canadian police and border officers, in response to a civil claim Meng filed earlier this year, have said they acted "lawfully and in good faith." Vancouver lawyer Gary Botting, who has seen a video of Meng being detained at the airport, said immigration officials came across as "Keystone Cops." "There are real questions about whether her rights were violated," said Botting, who briefed Meng's defense team on Canada's extradition law after her arrest but is no longer involved with the case. The extradition hearing itself is not scheduled to start until January. Meng, the daughter of Huawei founder Ren Zhengfei, spent 10 days in jail in December but was then released on C$10 million ($7.5 million) bail and is living in one of her two multimillion-dollar homes in Vancouver. She is required to wear an electronic ankle bracelet and pay for security guards. Huawei, the world's largest telecommunications equipment maker, has been accused by the United States of activities contrary to national security or foreign policy interests. US and Chinese officials resumed trade talks last week, as the world’s two largest economies try to negotiate a way out of their 14-month trade war.

Huawei CFO's arrest at airport to be focus of Vancouver hearing

The United States aims to avoid war with Iran and the additional troops ordered to be deployed in the Gulf region are for "deterrence and defense," US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said on Sunday.

Speaking to Fox News Sunday, Pompeo added that he was confident US President Donald Trump would take action if such deterrence measures fail and that this was well understood by the Iranian leadership.

"Our mission set is to avoid war," Pompeo said. "You saw what Secretary Esper announced on Friday, we are putting additional forces in the region for the purpose of deterrence and defense," he said.

Pompeo said Washington was taking measures to deter Tehran, but he added that Trump would take necessary action if Tehran failed to change its behavior. "If that deterrence should continue to fail, I am also confident that President Trump would continue to take the actions that are necessary," he said.

Tensions between Washington and Tehran have further escalated after an attack last weekend on Saudi oil facilities that initially disrupted half of the oil production from the kingdom, the world's largest oil exporter, and was blamed on Tehran by the United States and Saudi Arabia.

US has slapped more sanctions on Iran, penalising the Iranian Central Bank while the Pentagon said it was sending US troops to bolster Saudi Arabia's air and missile defenses after the largest-ever attack on the kingdom's oil facilities.

Iran denied involvement in the attack. Yemen's Houthi movement, an Iran-aligned group fighting a Saudi-led alliance in Yemen's civil war, has claimed responsibility.

US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, speaking to CNN, said the attack on Saudi oil facilities was an attack on the world economic system. He said the United States expects that any country attached to the US&nbsp;dollar system will abide by the sanctions on Iran.

Trump pulled the United States out of a 2015 nuclear deal with Iran last year and ramped up sanctions to strangle its oil exports, a mainstay of the Iranian economy.

The move dismantled part of former US President Barack Obama's legacy and upset US allies who were party to the agreement, which was designed to restrict Tehran's pathway to a nuclear bomb in exchange for sanctions relief.

In recent weeks, Trump had weighed the possibility of easing sanctions on Iran and suggested he could meet with Iranian President Hassan Rouhani, who is due to attend the UN General Assembly in New York this week. Rouhani has said that Iran, which denies seeking nuclear weapons, would not talk to the United States until Washington lifted sanctions.

The United States aims to avoid war with Iran and the additional troops ordered to be deployed in the Gulf region are for "deterrence and defense," US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said on Sunday.

The United States aims to avoid war with Iran and the additional troops ordered to be deployed in the Gulf region are for "deterrence and defense," US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said on Sunday. Speaking to Fox News Sunday, Pompeo added that he was confident US President Donald Trump would take action if such deterrence measures fail and that this was well understood by the Iranian leadership. "Our mission set is to avoid war," Pompeo said. "You saw what Secretary Esper announced on Friday, we are putting additional forces in the region for the purpose of deterrence and defense," he said. Pompeo said Washington was taking measures to deter Tehran, but he added that Trump would take necessary action if Tehran failed to change its behavior. "If that deterrence should continue to fail, I am also confident that President Trump would continue to take the actions that are necessary," he said. Tensions between Washington and Tehran have further escalated after an attack last weekend on Saudi oil facilities that initially disrupted half of the oil production from the kingdom, the world's largest oil exporter, and was blamed on Tehran by the United States and Saudi Arabia. US has slapped more sanctions on Iran, penalising the Iranian Central Bank while the Pentagon said it was sending US troops to bolster Saudi Arabia's air and missile defenses after the largest-ever attack on the kingdom's oil facilities. Iran denied involvement in the attack. Yemen's Houthi movement, an Iran-aligned group fighting a Saudi-led alliance in Yemen's civil war, has claimed responsibility. US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, speaking to CNN, said the attack on Saudi oil facilities was an attack on the world economic system. He said the United States expects that any country attached to the US dollar system will abide by the sanctions on Iran. Trump pulled the United States out of a 2015 nuclear deal with Iran last year and ramped up sanctions to strangle its oil exports, a mainstay of the Iranian economy. The move dismantled part of former US President Barack Obama's legacy and upset US allies who were party to the agreement, which was designed to restrict Tehran's pathway to a nuclear bomb in exchange for sanctions relief. In recent weeks, Trump had weighed the possibility of easing sanctions on Iran and suggested he could meet with Iranian President Hassan Rouhani, who is due to attend the UN General Assembly in New York this week. Rouhani has said that Iran, which denies seeking nuclear weapons, would not talk to the United States until Washington lifted sanctions.

Pompeo says US mission is to avoid war with Iran but measures in place to deter

Police in South Carolina was hunting for suspects on Saturday (September 21) after at least one person opened fire before dawn at a crowded bar in the city of Lancaster, killing two people and wounding eight others, officials said.

The shooter was still at large when Lancaster County Sheriff Barry Faile spoke to reporters.

"I believe it was beef between two individuals who showed up at the same place, things turned violent and there were several others who got shot that were at the wrong place at the wrong time," Faile told a news briefing.

The sheriff's office said it was a violent incident of "huge magnitude" and that it appeared at least one shooter targeted a specific victim following a dispute.

Ten people, including two men who died, were shot in the gunfire that erupted at 2:45 a.m. local time in the town about 60 miles (100 km) north of the state capital of Columbia, the Sheriff's Office statement said.

Four others were airlifted for medical treatment and their conditions were not immediately known, while another four were hospitalized with non-life threatening injuries, it said.

Police in South Carolina was hunting for suspects on Saturday (September 21) after at least one person opened fire before dawn at a crowded bar in the city of Lancaster, killing two people and wounding eight others, officials said.

Police in South Carolina was hunting for suspects on Saturday (September 21) after at least one person opened fire before dawn at a crowded bar in the city of Lancaster, killing two people and wounding eight others, officials said. The shooter was still at large when Lancaster County Sheriff Barry Faile spoke to reporters. "I believe it was beef between two individuals who showed up at the same place, things turned violent and there were several others who got shot that were at the wrong place at the wrong time," Faile told a news briefing. The sheriff's office said it was a violent incident of "huge magnitude" and that it appeared at least one shooter targeted a specific victim following a dispute. Ten people, including two men who died, were shot in the gunfire that erupted at 2:45 a.m. local time in the town about 60 miles (100 km) north of the state capital of Columbia, the Sheriff's Office statement said. Four others were airlifted for medical treatment and their conditions were not immediately known, while another four were hospitalized with non-life threatening injuries, it said.

US: Shooting at South Carolina bar leaves two dead, eight wounded

Former US Vice President Joe Biden on Friday demanded that President Donald Trump release the transcript of his July phone call where he reportedly pressured his Ukrainian counterpart <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/ukraine-leader-says-russia-sanctions-must-remain-in-place-249448">Volodymyr Zelensky</a> to investigate Biden's son.

"If these reports are true, then there is truly no bottom to President Trump's willingness to abuse his power and abase our country. This behaviour is particularly abhorrent because it exploits the foreign policy of our country and undermines our national security for political purposes," Biden said in the statement, as cited by the Hill.

<iframe data-google-container-id="4" data-load-complete="true" frameborder="0" height="1" id="google_ads_iframe_/6516239/outofpage_1x1_desktop_0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" name="google_ads_iframe_/6516239/outofpage_1x1_desktop_0" scrolling="no" srcdoc="" title="3rd party ad content" width="1"></iframe>CNN cited a report by the Wall Street Journal as saying that Trump pressured Zelensky during the July phone call to investigate Democratic presidential candidate Biden's son Hunter.

The call took place on July 25, just one day after former special counsel Robert Mueller testified before Congress about Russian interference in US elections, and was also part of a whistleblower complaint submitted to the Intelligence Community Inspector General.

While Trump has downplayed the significance of whistleblower's complaint, he did not deny discussing Biden with Zelensky during the phone call.

"It's a partisan whistleblower. They shouldn't even have information. I've had conversations with many leaders. They're always appropriate," Trump told reporters.

Former US Vice President Joe Biden on Friday demanded that President Donald Trump release the transcript of his July phone call where he reportedly pressured his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelensky to investigate Biden's son.

Former US Vice President Joe Biden on Friday demanded that President Donald Trump release the transcript of his July phone call where he reportedly pressured his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelensky to investigate Biden's son. "If these reports are true, then there is truly no bottom to President Trump's willingness to abuse his power and abase our country. This behaviour is particularly abhorrent because it exploits the foreign policy of our country and undermines our national security for political purposes," Biden said in the statement, as cited by the Hill. CNN cited a report by the Wall Street Journal as saying that Trump pressured Zelensky during the July phone call to investigate Democratic presidential candidate Biden's son Hunter. The call took place on July 25, just one day after former special counsel Robert Mueller testified before Congress about Russian interference in US elections, and was also part of a whistleblower complaint submitted to the Intelligence Community Inspector General. While Trump has downplayed the significance of whistleblower's complaint, he did not deny discussing Biden with Zelensky during the phone call. "It's a partisan whistleblower. They shouldn't even have information. I've had conversations with many leaders. They're always appropriate," Trump told reporters.

Biden demands Trump release transcript of July phone call with Ukrainian President

North Korea's chief negotiator in talks with the United States welcomed Donald Trump's suggestion of trying a "new method" in negotiations, and hailed the exit of his hawkish national security advisor.

The US President had fired John Bolton last week, revealing deep divisions between the two on major foreign policy issues including nuclear talks with Pyongyang.

Trump on Thursday said he would consider trying a "new method" in talks with Pyongyang, which have been deadlocked since the collapse of his second summit with Kim Jong Un collapsed in February.

Kim Myong Gil, Pyongyang's top delegate for working-level negotiations with Washington, said the comment underscored a "political perception and disposition peculiar to President Trump", calling it a "wise political decision" in a statement carried by the official Korean Central News Agency.

"At the moment I am not quite sure what he implied in his suggestion of 'new method'," he added.

"It seems he wanted to imply that a step-by-step solution starting with the things feasible first while building trust in each other would be the best option."

Trump had criticised Bolton's suggestion of the "Libyan model" for North Korea, a reference to a denuclearisation deal with the African nation's former dictator Moamer Kadhafi -- who was killed after being deposed in 2011.

Pyongyang had bristled at that comment, which Trump said had "set us very back very badly".

Kim Myong Gil described Bolton as "a nasty trouble-maker who used to face everything out of his anachronistic way of thinking".

North Korea and the United States agreed to restart working-level dialogue during an impromptu meeting between Trump and Kim Jong Un at the Demilitarized Zone dividing the two Koreas in June, and Pyongyang has offered to hold those talks in late September, a move the US has described as "encouraging".

There has been no announcement yet on the venue and precise schedule for the talks.

North Korea's chief negotiator in talks with the United States welcomed Donald Trump's suggestion of trying a "new method" in negotiations, and hailed the exit of his hawkish national security advisor.

North Korea's chief negotiator in talks with the United States welcomed Donald Trump's suggestion of trying a "new method" in negotiations, and hailed the exit of his hawkish national security advisor. The US President had fired John Bolton last week, revealing deep divisions between the two on major foreign policy issues including nuclear talks with Pyongyang. Trump on Thursday said he would consider trying a "new method" in talks with Pyongyang, which have been deadlocked since the collapse of his second summit with Kim Jong Un collapsed in February. Kim Myong Gil, Pyongyang's top delegate for working-level negotiations with Washington, said the comment underscored a "political perception and disposition peculiar to President Trump", calling it a "wise political decision" in a statement carried by the official Korean Central News Agency. "At the moment I am not quite sure what he implied in his suggestion of 'new method'," he added. "It seems he wanted to imply that a step-by-step solution starting with the things feasible first while building trust in each other would be the best option." Trump had criticised Bolton's suggestion of the "Libyan model" for North Korea, a reference to a denuclearisation deal with the African nation's former dictator Moamer Kadhafi -- who was killed after being deposed in 2011. Pyongyang had bristled at that comment, which Trump said had "set us very back very badly". Kim Myong Gil described Bolton as "a nasty trouble-maker who used to face everything out of his anachronistic way of thinking". North Korea and the United States agreed to restart working-level dialogue during an impromptu meeting between Trump and Kim Jong Un at the Demilitarized Zone dividing the two Koreas in June, and Pyongyang has offered to hold those talks in late September, a move the US has described as "encouraging". There has been no announcement yet on the venue and precise schedule for the talks.

Top North Korea negotiator praises Trump's 'new method' suggestion

Hundreds of&nbsp;workers&nbsp;from&nbsp;Google,&nbsp;Amazon&nbsp;and other&nbsp;technology companies on Friday&nbsp;joined&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/wion-dispatch-climate-change-protest-in-150-countries-250860">climate-change marches</a> in San Francisco and Seattle, saying their employers had been too slow to tackle global warming and needed to take more drastic action.

While students set the global agenda and led local marches,&nbsp;US&nbsp;West Coast&nbsp;tech&nbsp;workers&nbsp;said they turned out in support and called on makers of software and hardware as well as providers of services such as cloud data storage to do more.

Watch Video:&nbsp;The biggest climate protest till date

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The marches cap a week in which Alphabet Inc's&nbsp;Google&nbsp;said it had increased its wind and solar energy deals by more than 40 per cent, and&nbsp;Amazon.com Inc&nbsp;pledged to use only renewable energy by 2030.

"We're out on the streets because we want them to do more," said Danilo Quilaton, 34, a product designer for&nbsp;Amazon's video streaming subsidiary Twitch.

He called Thursday's pledge by his company a big win.

"Amazon&nbsp;promised some things, but we still have to hold them liable," said Quilaton, who held a sign that read, "I work at&nbsp;Amazon. I want zero deals with oil &amp; gas" companies.

The number of people carrying signs referring to&nbsp;tech&nbsp;companies and shouting&nbsp;tech-related slogans on the streets of San Francisco and Seattle numbered in the hundreds or low thousands, a fraction of the&nbsp;tech&nbsp;workforce.

But their presence was bigger than in past&nbsp;protests&nbsp;and represented a change in an industry whose engineers have often focussed on their work, rather than social issues.

"Amazon, let’s raise the bar, not the temperature," read one protester's sign outside the glass domes at&nbsp;Amazon's headquarters in Seattle known as the Spheres, local symbols of the industry's wealth.

"Tech&nbsp;is having an awakening," said&nbsp;Google&nbsp;business analyst Marie Collins in San Francisco.

"Tech&nbsp;workers&nbsp;are realizing they have to take collective action."

One sign with the hashtag #techwontbuildit called for zero emissions by 2030, no deals to provide&nbsp;technology to oil and gas companies and zero corporate sponsorships of groups&nbsp;that deny&nbsp;climate&nbsp;change, echoing internal petitions at the big companies.

The coordination across various companies paralleled recent&nbsp;joint efforts by staff to oppose work on military contracts, support immigrants and other issues.

Tech&nbsp;workers&nbsp;by late morning&nbsp;joined youth-led marches, which filled a dozen blocks of San Francisco's Market Street.

In Seattle, hundreds of&nbsp;tech&nbsp;workers&nbsp;gathered at&nbsp;Amazon's headquarters and marched to&nbsp;join&nbsp;bigger groups.

The companies have signalled sympathy with&nbsp;workers&nbsp;on addressing&nbsp;climate&nbsp;change.

But&nbsp;Amazon&nbsp;Chief Executive Jeff Bezos on Thursday said it would be a bad idea to leave the cloud company's oil and gas customers with outdated tools as they are trying to evolve their businesses.

'Hold them accountable'

An&nbsp;Amazon&nbsp;spokeswoman on Friday said the company understands that some employees feel strongly about&nbsp;climate&nbsp;change and so does&nbsp;Amazon.&nbsp;

Google, which on Thursday announced its clean energy deals, did not immediately return a request for comment.

Though much of the public thinks of&nbsp;technology as a clean industry, unlike transportation or mainstream manufacturing, the employees said soaring electricity consumption for the data centres used in cloud computing was a major problem.

“We are the ones who build the products,” said an organizer who asked to be identified only as Steven.

“We are the ones who have the power to hold them accountable.”

Hundreds of workers from Google, Amazon and other technology companies on Friday joined climate-change marches in San Francisco and Seattle, saying their employers had been too slow to tackle global warming and needed to take more drastic action.

Hundreds of workers from Google, Amazon and other technology companies on Friday joined climate-change marches in San Francisco and Seattle, saying their employers had been too slow to tackle global warming and needed to take more drastic action. While students set the global agenda and led local marches, US West Coast tech workers said they turned out in support and called on makers of software and hardware as well as providers of services such as cloud data storage to do more. Watch Video: The biggest climate protest till date × The marches cap a week in which Alphabet Inc's Google said it had increased its wind and solar energy deals by more than 40 per cent, and Amazon.com Inc pledged to use only renewable energy by 2030. "We're out on the streets because we want them to do more," said Danilo Quilaton, 34, a product designer for Amazon's video streaming subsidiary Twitch. He called Thursday's pledge by his company a big win. "Amazon promised some things, but we still have to hold them liable," said Quilaton, who held a sign that read, "I work at Amazon. I want zero deals with oil & gas" companies. The number of people carrying signs referring to tech companies and shouting tech-related slogans on the streets of San Francisco and Seattle numbered in the hundreds or low thousands, a fraction of the tech workforce. But their presence was bigger than in past protests and represented a change in an industry whose engineers have often focussed on their work, rather than social issues. "Amazon, let’s raise the bar, not the temperature," read one protester's sign outside the glass domes at Amazon's headquarters in Seattle known as the Spheres, local symbols of the industry's wealth. "Tech is having an awakening," said Google business analyst Marie Collins in San Francisco. "Tech workers are realizing they have to take collective action." One sign with the hashtag #techwontbuildit called for zero emissions by 2030, no deals to provide technology to oil and gas companies and zero corporate sponsorships of groups that deny climate change, echoing internal petitions at the big companies. The coordination across various companies paralleled recent joint efforts by staff to oppose work on military contracts, support immigrants and other issues. Tech workers by late morning joined youth-led marches, which filled a dozen blocks of San Francisco's Market Street. In Seattle, hundreds of tech workers gathered at Amazon's headquarters and marched to join bigger groups. The companies have signalled sympathy with workers on addressing climate change. But Amazon Chief Executive Jeff Bezos on Thursday said it would be a bad idea to leave the cloud company's oil and gas customers with outdated tools as they are trying to evolve their businesses. 'Hold them accountable' An Amazon spokeswoman on Friday said the company understands that some employees feel strongly about climate change and so does Amazon. Google, which on Thursday announced its clean energy deals, did not immediately return a request for comment. Though much of the public thinks of technology as a clean industry, unlike transportation or mainstream manufacturing, the employees said soaring electricity consumption for the data centres used in cloud computing was a major problem. “We are the ones who build the products,” said an organizer who asked to be identified only as Steven. “We are the ones who have the power to hold them accountable.”

In tech 'awakening,' US workers at Google, Amazon join climate protests

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-lifts-tariffs-on-400-chinese-products-trump-cites-trade-progress-250891">President Donald Trump</a> said Friday that only a "complete" deal with China on <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/trade-talks-seen-as-unlikely-to-mend-us-china-divide-250119">trade</a> will be acceptable and his tough approach won support from visiting Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison.

"I'm not looking for a partial deal. I'm looking for a complete deal," Trump told reporters during a joint news conference with Morrison at the White House.

Trump denied that he was under pressure to resolve the massive trade dispute between the world's two main economic powers, saying "I don't think I need it before the election" in 2020.

Morrison, enjoying an unusually lavish reception and state dinner, said he backed the US push to force China to reform on issues that include routine violation of foreign companies' intellectual property.

"We need to make sure that we all compete on the same playing field," he said. China can't have "special rules."

Morrison's supportive stance contrasted with worries he expressed in June about smaller economies suffering collateral damage in the US-China standoff and the global system coming "under real pressure."

Later the United States Trade Representative's office issued a statement announcing that the deputy-level US and Chinese negotiators had completed "productive" talks in Washington on Thursday and Friday.

Top-level talks are expected in October.

'Dinner under the stars'

This was only the second state-level visit to the White House granted under Trump and the first for an Australian premiere here since John Howard in 2006.

In a shift from tradition, and taking advantage of perfect end-of-summer weather, the dinner was served under the stars in the Rose Garden.

Pale yellow tablecloths and floral arrangements decorated the tables, bathed in a golden glow from the outdoor lighting.

Trump gave a toast praising the "free and proud spirit" shared by the two nations.

Earlier, Morrison and his wife were greeted with an honour guard, a military band and 19 gun salute on the South Lawn.

"Australians and Americans understand each other like few other peoples," Morrison said, adding that he and the Republican US president had also "established a very early understanding."

In addition to Friday's festivities, Morrison and Trump are due to reunite Sunday for a visit at a new Australian-owned factory in Wapakoneta, Ohio, that the White House says will "demonstrate the strong trade and investment relationship."

'Conservatives club'

Trump's relations with the previous Australian premier, Malcolm Turnbull, got off to a bad start.

But Morrison has already cemented his place in a growing conservative club also including the likes of Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro and British Prime Minister Boris Johnson drawn into Trump's orbit.

Trump and Morrison agree on much, with Australia joining the US-led patrols of the Strait of Hormuz off Iran and following Washington's lead to excluding China's Huawei from its 5G phone market.

Trump has defied controversy over his push to prevent illegal immigrants and asylum seekers from crossing the Mexican border. Similarly, Morrison, a former immigration minister, has worked to make Australia less attractive to would-be asylum seekers.

His Liberal-National coalition also has much in common with Trump's climate change scepticism, rejecting overwhelming scientific warnings to encourage lucrative fossil fuel industries. Australia is the world's largest coal exporter.

This is "one of our strongest and most enduring relationships anywhere in the world," a senior Trump administration official said Thursday, asking not to be identified.

One area that Trump especially appreciates is a trade where the United States enjoys a surplus. The trade conflicts proliferating under Trump have bypassed Australia.

The administration official said that cooperation between Australia's space agency and NASA on a return to the Moon and joint efforts to ensure "stable and secure" access to rare earth metals were on the agenda Friday.

The relationship gets more complicated over how to deal with China.

Under Trump, the United States has embarked on what some are comparing to a new Cold War. Huge trade tariffs and growing competition in the military-strategic sphere are sending ripples through the entire Pacific region.

As China rises, there are even worries in some quarters that Australia may not always be able to rely on its US security umbrella.

A hard-hitting report from the United States Studies Centre at the University of Sydney in August said the US military is an "atrophying force" that is "dangerously overstretched" and "ill-prepared" for a confrontation with China.

President Donald Trump said Friday that only a "complete" deal with China on trade will be acceptable and his tough approach won support from visiting Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison.

President Donald Trump said Friday that only a "complete" deal with China on trade will be acceptable and his tough approach won support from visiting Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison. "I'm not looking for a partial deal. I'm looking for a complete deal," Trump told reporters during a joint news conference with Morrison at the White House. Trump denied that he was under pressure to resolve the massive trade dispute between the world's two main economic powers, saying "I don't think I need it before the election" in 2020. Morrison, enjoying an unusually lavish reception and state dinner, said he backed the US push to force China to reform on issues that include routine violation of foreign companies' intellectual property. "We need to make sure that we all compete on the same playing field," he said. China can't have "special rules." Morrison's supportive stance contrasted with worries he expressed in June about smaller economies suffering collateral damage in the US-China standoff and the global system coming "under real pressure." Later the United States Trade Representative's office issued a statement announcing that the deputy-level US and Chinese negotiators had completed "productive" talks in Washington on Thursday and Friday. Top-level talks are expected in October. 'Dinner under the stars' This was only the second state-level visit to the White House granted under Trump and the first for an Australian premiere here since John Howard in 2006. In a shift from tradition, and taking advantage of perfect end-of-summer weather, the dinner was served under the stars in the Rose Garden. Pale yellow tablecloths and floral arrangements decorated the tables, bathed in a golden glow from the outdoor lighting. Trump gave a toast praising the "free and proud spirit" shared by the two nations. Earlier, Morrison and his wife were greeted with an honour guard, a military band and 19 gun salute on the South Lawn. "Australians and Americans understand each other like few other peoples," Morrison said, adding that he and the Republican US president had also "established a very early understanding." In addition to Friday's festivities, Morrison and Trump are due to reunite Sunday for a visit at a new Australian-owned factory in Wapakoneta, Ohio, that the White House says will "demonstrate the strong trade and investment relationship." 'Conservatives club' Trump's relations with the previous Australian premier, Malcolm Turnbull, got off to a bad start. But Morrison has already cemented his place in a growing conservative club also including the likes of Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro and British Prime Minister Boris Johnson drawn into Trump's orbit. Trump and Morrison agree on much, with Australia joining the US-led patrols of the Strait of Hormuz off Iran and following Washington's lead to excluding China's Huawei from its 5G phone market. Trump has defied controversy over his push to prevent illegal immigrants and asylum seekers from crossing the Mexican border. Similarly, Morrison, a former immigration minister, has worked to make Australia less attractive to would-be asylum seekers. His Liberal-National coalition also has much in common with Trump's climate change scepticism, rejecting overwhelming scientific warnings to encourage lucrative fossil fuel industries. Australia is the world's largest coal exporter. This is "one of our strongest and most enduring relationships anywhere in the world," a senior Trump administration official said Thursday, asking not to be identified. One area that Trump especially appreciates is a trade where the United States enjoys a surplus. The trade conflicts proliferating under Trump have bypassed Australia. The administration official said that cooperation between Australia's space agency and NASA on a return to the Moon and joint efforts to ensure "stable and secure" access to rare earth metals were on the agenda Friday. The relationship gets more complicated over how to deal with China. Under Trump, the United States has embarked on what some are comparing to a new Cold War. Huge trade tariffs and growing competition in the military-strategic sphere are sending ripples through the entire Pacific region. As China rises, there are even worries in some quarters that Australia may not always be able to rely on its US security umbrella. A hard-hitting report from the United States Studies Centre at the University of Sydney in August said the US military is an "atrophying force" that is "dangerously overstretched" and "ill-prepared" for a confrontation with China.

Trump, backed by Australia's Morrison, talks tough on China

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