World briefs

China A Chinese envoy will head to Washington today to for trade negotiations. The announcement yesterday follows conciliatory gestures by both sides ahead of the October talks on their fight over trade and technology, which threatens to dampen global economic growth.

Taiwan Former Foxconn CEO Terry Gou has given up on making an independent bid for Taiwan’s presidency, citing an “abominable election atmosphere” and bullying of his supporters.

Philippines Twenty villagers were killed and 14 others were injured when the truck they were riding in lost control and fell off a cliff yesterday in a remote mountain village in the southern Philippines, police and the Red Cross said.

Myanmar’s envoy to the top U.N. human rights body says his country rejects any move to bring the issue of alleged rights violations against ethnic Rohingya Muslims to an international legal forum.

Afghanistan A Taliban suicide bomber on a motorcycle targeted a campaign rally by President Ashraf Ghani in northern Afghanistan yesterday killing at least 24 people and wounding 31. Ghani was present at the venue but was unharmed, according to his campaign chief.

Iran has acknowledged for the first time that it holds three Australian nationals on suspicion of spying, marking the latest cases of those with Western ties being detained in the Islamic Republic amid tensions between Tehran and the U.S.

Israel Israelis vote yesterday in an unprecedented repeat election that will decide whether longtime Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stays  in power despite a looming indictment on corruption charges.

Brazil As fires burn across the Brazilian Amazon, the vast state of  Amazonas has been among the hardest hit, with more than 6,600  blazes recorded in August, 2 1/2 times more than the same month a year ago.

Russia’s main intelligence agency says three Russian border guards have been injured after they were attacked by North Koreans fishing illegally.

USA As they investigate President Donald Trump, Democrats on the House Judiciary Committee will hold their first official hearing in  what they are calling an impeachment investigation.