BERLIN, Aug. 18 (Xinhua) -- German Chancellor Angela Merkel and Russian President Vladimir Putin held talks in north of Berlin on Saturday, with the topics ranging from Syria, Ukraine, Iran as well as the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline project.

The meeting came after Merkel's visit to Sochi in May. Before holding talks at the Schloss Meseberg outside Berlin, the two leaders addressed reporters.

"I am of the opinion that controversial issues can only be addressed in dialogue and through dialogue," Merkel said.

WASHINGTON, Aug. 18 (Xinhua) -- U.S. President Donald Trump said on Saturday that the United States has ended the development fund for Syria, urging "rich countries" to pay instead.

In a tweet, Trump said "the United States has ended the ridiculous 230 Million Dollar yearly development payment to Syria."

"Saudi Arabia and other rich countries in the Middle East will start making payments instead of the U.S.," he said. "I want to develop the U.S., our military and countries that help us!"

Vidisha, Madhya Pradesh: A group of farmers rounded up about 500 feral cows and herded them into SDM’s compound in Vidisha, Madya Pradesh. The whole village was on the road, rounding up the feral cows roaming in the farms, villages and the on the road.

The watchman tried to close the gates when he saw farmers herding the cows towards Tahseel compound.  But the angry farmers forced open the gates and pushed the cows through into the compound.

Indonesia’s president Joko Widodo made a dramatic entry to Gelora Bung Karno Stadium, riding a motorbike, before opening Indonesia’s second hosting of the Asiad.

The opening ceremony included spectacular pyrotechnic show and simulated volcanic eruption.

Shahjahanpur (UP), Aug 19 (PTI) Police have registered a case against three men for allegedly raping and threatening a 20-year-old married woman here, officials said today.

On August 11, one of the accused, Jitu, called the woman to meet him threatening to upload her sleazy photographs on social media. He also blackmailed to forward the pictures to her in-laws, Station House officer of Allahaganj Police Station Avneesh Kumar Yadav said today.

There, two men - Ramesh Gupta and Sumit - raped her, he said.

BEIJING, Aug. 19 (Xinhua) -- Chinese companies are confident in securing overseas supplies of soybeans and soybean meal substitutes to counter the fall in imports of U.S. soybeans, according to industry insiders.

A survey of related firms points to widespread readiness and proactiveness in the industry as Chinese firms turn to more competitive suppliers from South America and other parts of the world.

During the May-August period, over 36 million tonnes of South American soybeans arrived in China, with more to come in November.

Patna, Aug 19 (PTI) Sexual abuse, varying in forms and degree of intensity, was prevalent in almost all shelter homes in Bihar, a TISS report made public by the Bihar

government has found.

The Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS), which had conducted social audit of short stay homes across Bihar, has found certain institutions "stood out in a manner that was appalling".

The state government had commissioned audit by the TISS in 2017 and the report was submitted to the Social Welfare Department in April this year.

LONDON, Aug. 18 (Xinhua) -- Scotland Yard on Saturday said that the suspect who slammed his car into security barriers outside the British Parliament on Tuesday was charged with the attempted murder of members of the public and the attempted murder of police officers.

Salih Khater, the 29-year-old British citizen of Sudanese origin, was arrested on suspicion of attempted murder after the car crash.

He allegedly drove his Ford Fiesta into commuters and towards police officers before hitting a security barrier outside Parliament on Tuesday morning.

MOSCOW, August 19. /TASS/. An 8.2-magnitude earthquake was recorded on Sunday in the Pacific Ocean, off the Fiji coast, the US Geological Survey (USGS) reported.

Initial reports put the earthquake’s magnitude at 7.8.

The epicenter was located at the depth of 560 kilometers, 282 kilometers northeast of the city of Levuka.

According to the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center, there is no threat of a tsunami, because the epicenter of the quake was located too deep under the seabed.

Mumbai, 17 Aug 2018: Arround 2000 protesters have marched in Mumbai to show their support for three Hindutva terrorists in Police custody.

Three terrorists, Vaibhav Raut 40, Sharad Kalaskar 25 and Sudhanav Ghondalekar 39 were arrested by Anti Terrorist Squad (ATS) on Friday for making bombs with the intention to use it on Iduzzuha (Bakra-eid) day, to fan communal riots and hatred.

Two of the three Hidutva terrorists arrested in Mumbai on Friday are allegedly affiliated to radical Hindu groups.

Three arrested by Anti Terrorist Squad (ATS) are Vaibhav Raut (40), Sudhanwa Gondhalekar (39) and Sharad Kasalkar (25).

Aurangabad, Maharashtra: Syed Mateen Rashid, a member of the Aurangabad Municipal Corporation, opposed a resolution in the municipal corporation to pay tributes to former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee.

The 32-year-old Rashid, an AIMIM corporator,  was allegedly thrashed by BJP corporators for opposing the condolence motion, which he thinks has the right to do. A video clip purportedly showing Rashid being kicked, punched and slapped by BJP corporators has gone viral on social media.