US launches plan to tackle China's critical minerals dominance
The US has launched an effort to form a trade zone for critical minerals that are key to making everything from smartphones to weapons as it tries to break China's dominance of the industry, BBC reported.
On Wednesday, the State Department hosted the first Critical Minerals Ministerial event - which was attended by countries and organisations including the UK, European Union, Japan, India, South Korea, Australia and the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Delegates discussed the availability of and access to minerals crucial to the manufacture of things like computer chips and electric vehicle batteries, according to BBC.
US must be prudent when supplying arms to Taiwan, Xi tells Trump
China's leader Xi Jinping called Taiwan "the most important issue" in China-US relations during a phone call with US President Donald Trump on Wednesday, BBC reported.
Xi had told Trump to be "prudent" when supplying weapons to the island, state media reported, adding that he "attaches great importance" to ties with Washington and hoped both sides will find ways to resolve their differences.
Trump cast the call as "excellent" and "long and thorough".
US and Iran agree to Friday talks in Oman but still at odds over agenda
The U.S. and Iran have agreed to hold talks in Oman on Friday, officials for both sides said, even as they remained at odds over Washington's insistence that negotiations include Tehran's missile arsenal and Iran's vow to discuss only its nuclear program, Reuters reported.
The delicate diplomatic effort comes amid heightened tensions as the U.S. builds up forces in the Middle East and regional players seek to avoid a military confrontation that many fear could escalate into a wider war.
Differences in recent days over the scope and venue for the talks have raised doubts whether the meeting would take place, leaving open the possibility that U.S. President Donald Trump could carry out his threat to strike Iran, according to Reuters.
Trump withdraws 700 immigration agents from Minnesota deportation surge, thousands remain
The Trump administration is withdrawing some 700 federal immigration enforcement agents from Minnesota, although about 2,000 agents will stay in place, White House border czar Tom Homan announced on Wednesday, a number the state's Democratic leaders say is still too high, Reuters reported.
In an unprecedented surge, U.S. President Donald Trump has deployed thousands of armed immigration enforcement agents in and around Minneapolis this year to detain and deport migrants, resulting in weeks of feuding with the state's elected leaders, angry and sometimes violent confrontations with residents, and street protests across the nation.
Homan said the deportation campaign was in the interest of public safety. He was partially reducing the deployment because he was seeing "unprecedented" cooperation from Minnesota's elected sheriffs who run county jails, although he did not give more details, according to Reuters.
