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Obama invites Hu to U.S. in 2010

BEIJING, Nov. 18 (UPI) -- U.S. President Barack Obama, seeking to develop U.S.-Chinese relations, has invited Chinese President Hu Jintao to visit Washington, the White House said.

"President Obama's visit to China has demonstrated the depth and breadth of the global and other challenges where U.S.-China cooperation is critical," White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs said in a statement Wednesday. "His discussions with President Hu have strengthened possibilities for future cooperation."

Hu accepted "with pleasure" Obama's invitation to visit the United States in 2010, Gibbs said.

Obama said his discussions with Chinese leaders were fruitful.

"We have had very productive discussions over the last two days," Obama said after meeting with Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao Wednesday. "I think President Hu and myself agreed in our first meeting that we wanted to try to deepen the strategic partnership and relationship between the United States and China. A relationship that used to be focused just on economic and trade issues is now expanding to deal with a whole host of global issues in which U.S.-China cooperation is critical."

Obama's meeting with Wen included discussions on trade, China Daily reported.

"It is my sincere hope that your current visit will lift the comprehensive and cooperative China-U.S. relations to a new level," Wen told Obama during their meeting.

Obama and Hu on Tuesday agreed to cooperate on climate change and on North Korea's return to the six-nation talks on its denuclearization.

Obama also urged his hosts to resume talks with exiled Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama. Hu said his talks with Obama were on an "equal footing" and called for rejection of protectionism "in all its manifestations."

Obama's visit came as trade disputes between the two countries are growing, resulting from tariffs on some Chinese imports.

So far, U.S. media reported no major breakthroughs on issues such issues as international pressure on China to allow its currency, the yuan, float freely or Iran's nuclear program.

Obama planned to visit the Great Wall before leaving for South Korea, the final leg of his first trip to Asia as president.

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Commentary stresses U.S.-China cooperation

BEIJING, Nov. 18 (UPI) -- The United States and China together should "play exemplary roles" in resolving today's global challenges, China's official Xinhua news agency said.

Using U.S. President Barack Obama's China visit as pretext, the Xinhua commentary said the two countries have become important forces in global political and economic stability.

"Given the interwoven relations that China and the United States share in a global village, both nations see huge potential in seeking their common interests through expanded cooperation," the article said.

"And major challenges, such as the global economic downturn, terrorism, nuclear proliferation, and climate change, cannot be tackled by a single country on its own. Instead, they need the joint efforts of the international community, where the United States and China, as two influential countries, should play exemplary roles."

The article said China served as "an important engine to drive forward global economic recovery" while the United States "saw its economy reverse the trend of recession in the third quarter of this year." To reinforce this positive economic momentum, the two countries need to "join hands" in a spirit of mutual support.

"The world has every reason to closely watch Obama's China visit, as whether the two countries will travel the path of understanding and cooperation or choose to collide and confront will affect the world as a whole," Xinhua said.

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Iraq vice president vetoes election law

BAGHDAD, Nov. 18 (UPI) -- One of Iraq's two vice presidents vetoed part of the country's new election law, casting January's parliamentary elections in doubt, officials said.

Besides revoking Article 1 of the law passed 10 days ago, Tariq al-Hashemi, a Sunni Arab, also called for increasing parliamentary representation of displaced people to 15 percent from 5 percent, the BBC reported.

The long-delayed law returns to Iraq's parliament for more discussion.

Iraq's Independent Electoral Commission scheduled the election for Jan. 21. Under the country's constitution, it must be conducted before the end of January.

The election is seen as vital for the United States to withdraw its combat troops by August, the BBC said.

At issue for Hashemi, officials said, are the votes of 4 million Iraqis, mostly Sunni Arabs, who the vice president said he believes fled because of sectarian conflict triggered by the U.S.-led invasion in 2003.

Despite his action, Hashemi said he does not oppose the law generally and does not want to see more delays that could prevent January's elections.

"I sent a letter to parliament asking for the law to be amended. Parliament said I could veto the contested first article, which is what I have done today," he said.

The BBC also reported Iraqi President Jalal Talabani, a Kurd, said he is concerned only three of the 48 extra seats in parliament were allocated to the three mainly Kurdish provinces of Dohuk, Arbil and Sulaimaniya.

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Former members accuse church of abuse

CANBERRA, Australia, Nov. 18 (UPI) -- Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd says he'll examine letters accusing the Church of Scientology of abuses ranging from imprisonment to blackmail.

The letters from seven former church members were tabled in the Senate Tuesday night by Sen. Nick Xenophon who called for an investigation of the church, The Australian reports.

"These are grave allegations which he is making," Rudd said Wednesday in announcing he intends to examine the documents.

"Let us proceed carefully, and look carefully at the materials which he has provided, before we make a decision on further parliamentary action," the prime minister said.

The letters by former church members allege coerced abortions, assault, imprisonment, covering up sexual abuse, embezzlement of church funds and blackmail.

The Church of Scientology released a statement accusing Sen. Xenophon of "an outrageous abuse of parliamentary privilege."

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Hostages released from Florida store

VENICE, Fla., Nov. 18 (UPI) -- Police in Venice, Fla., searched for two gunmen who held eight hostages for more than three hours before allowing them to leave, officials said Wednesday.

Seven of the eight hostages -- all employees at a T.J. Maxx clothing store -- eventually left the store unharmed, while one hostage was injured and removed from the store on a blanket after a SWAT team stormed the building, the Sarasota (Fla.) Herald Tribune reported. Officials said the 16-year-old female was injured when she was pushed to the ground during the siege.

Police had not located the two captors as of 2 a.m. Wednesday and worked the scene through the night, the newspaper said.

Authorities said the incident began about closing time Tuesday when the two gunmen entered the store. About 15 employees and patrons were in the store at the time, authorities said, and several escaped on their own.

A store manager said the store would have at most $12,000 on hand.

Dozens of police surrounded the store, including SWAT team members and snipers, the Herald Tribune said.

Witnesses reported hearing a single gunshot from inside the store shortly before midnight.