News brief: Big stories of the day
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US President Donald Trump said on Friday he aborted a military strike to retaliate for Iran's downing of an unmanned US drone because it could have killed 150 people, and signalled he was open to talks with Tehran.
US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo will seek to further strengthen strategic ties with India during a visit next week despite increasing frictions over trade, data flows and arms from Russia, officials said.
US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Friday urged Pakistan to do more to stop the abuse of blasphemy laws after the release of Asia Bibi, who escaped a death sentence in a case that drew international scrutiny.
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and China's President Xi Jinping reached a consensus on "important issues," and agreed to build on their countries' friendly relations "whatever the international situation," North Korean state media reported.
After getting re-elected to Parliament with a massive mandate in the recently concluded Lok Sabha elections, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Friday visited his constituency, Lucknow, where he said that BJP's thumping win in the elections was a "huge thing" as the party's vote share increased despite the SP-BSP alliance.