BEIJING, Aug. 14 (Xinhua) -- China on Tuesday launched the World Trade Organization (WTO) dispute settlement procedure over U.S. safeguard measures on imported photovoltaic products and subsidies for its renewable energy products, the Ministry of Commerce said.

"As the U.S. measures severely damaged Chinese trade interests, China's choice to resort to the WTO dispute settlement mechanism is a necessary move to safeguard its legitimate rights and interests and multilateral trade rules," a spokesperson with the ministry said.

BRUSSELS, August 15. /TASS/. The Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) on the Iran nuclear program continues to exist after the US ceased to be a part of it, Russia's Permanent Representative to the EU Vladimir Chizhov told journalists on Wednesday, commenting on the measures taken by the EU to protect European businesses from US sanctions.

MOSCOW, August 15. /TASS/. Russian President Vladimir Putin will receive member of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee Political Bureau Yang Jiechi in his Sochi residence on Wednesday, August 15, Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters.

"The president will also receive member of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee Political Bureau Yang Jiechi, who is responsible for foreign affairs," he added.

Caracas, Aug 15 (AFP) Venezuela has arrested a general and a colonel as part of a probe into an alleged attempt to assassinate President Nicolas Maduro, the Supreme Court said today.

The arrests increased suspicions about possible divisions within the military, considered a bedrock of support for the widely unpopular president as Venezuela's economy unravels and people grow more and more desperate and angry.

TOKYO, Aug. 15 (Xinhua) -- Tokyo stocks closed lower Wednesday on growing concerns over the possibility of Turkey's retaliatory tariffs on U.S. imports amid heightening tensions between the two sides.

The 225-issue Nikkei Stock Average lost 151.86 points, or 0.68 percent, from Tuesday to finish the day at 22,204.22.

The broader Topix index of all First Section issues on the Tokyo Stock Exchange, meanwhile, dropped 12.92 points, or 0.76 percent, to close at 1,698.03.

15 Aug 2018; DW: Australia's prime minister and politicians from across the political spectrum on Wednesday condemned a speech by a freshman senator calling for only white immigration and a "final solution" to end Muslim immigration. 

Islamabad, Aug 13; PTI:  The maiden session of Pakistan's newly-elected Parliament began today with the outgoing speaker administering oath to 329 members as part of the process of transition and handing over powers to the new government.

Ayaz Sadiq, speaker of the previous National Assembly, presided over the 15th Parliament's session and administered oath to the new leaders in the 342-member lower house. The new members signed their presence in a register.

15 Aug 2018; DW: In an attempt to curb growing house prices, New Zealand has banned most foreigners from buying certain properties. Statistics show China and Australia are the biggest buyers, but Australia won't be subject to the ban.

New Zealand's parliament on Wednesday passed a law banning many non-resident foreigners from buying existing homes in the country.

The bill aims to stop New Zealanders being outbid by wealthy foreign buyers.

KABUL, Aug. 15 (Xinhua) -- At least 45 Afghan security force members were killed after Taliban militants stormed a joint military camp in northern Baghlan province overnight, reported local media Tolo News TV on Wednesday.

DONETSK, August 14. /TASS/. Southern regions of the self-proclaimed Donetsk People’s Republic (DPR) came under intense mortar shelling by Ukrainian troops on Tuesday evening, a spokesman for the DPR’s operations command reported.

"The villages of Kominternovo and Leninskoye in the south of our republic came under shelling by Ukraine’s 36th brigade. More than a hundred mines of various caliber were fired. Shelling was also conducted from weapons of armored infantry carriers and grenade launchers," the Donetsk News Agency quoted him as saying.

Pakur, Aug 13; PTI: Seven minor children belonging to the primitive Pahariya tribe have been rescued and a human trafficker arrested in Jharkhand's Pakur district, a senior police officer said today.

Acting on a tip-off, a police team conducted a raid at Amrapara bus stand and rescued the children and arrested the human trafficker while they were about to board a bus to Uttar Pradesh yesterday, Sub-Divisional Police Officer (SDPO) Ashok Kumar Singh said.

Mumbai; 11 Aug 2018: Three Hindutva terrorists have been arrested by ATS for plotting bomb blasts to disturb communal harmony. 20 Bombs and bomb-making material were recovered from a bungalow in Mumbai.

Vaibhav Raut 40, Sharad Kalaskar 25 of Gau Raksha Samiti, and Sudhanav Ghondalekar 39 were detained by law enforcement agencies.