The United States on Thursday imposed sanctions on three Hezbollah members accused of involvement in financial transactions for Hezbollah, as Israel launched new strikes.

The sanctions were announced ahead of a visit to Lebanon by John Hurley, the Treasury Department official in charge of sanctions against extremist groups.

President Donald Trump has warned that the United States will be rendered "defenseless'' and possibly "reduced to almost Third World status'' if Supreme Court strikes down the tariffs he imposed this year on nearly every country on earth.

The justices sounded skeptical during oral arguments Wednesday of his sweeping claims of authority to impose tariffs as he sees fit.

France Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot on Thursday urged the European Union to take measures against Asian e-commerce giant Shein, following an uproar over sales of childlike sex dolls on its French website.

"The European Commission must take action. It can no longer wait," he told the France Info broadcaster. "The Commission has conducted certain investigations. It must now accompany them with sanctions."

U.S. President Donald Trump said on Thursday that officials from Washington and Beijing would be meeting to hash out a possible "energy deal" between the two countries.

"China... agreed that they will begin the process of purchasing American Energy," Trump said on Truth Social following talks with Chinese leader Xi Jinping.

President Donald Trump described his face-to-face with Chinese leader Xi Jinping on Thursday as a roaring success, saying he would cut tariffs on China, while Beijing had agreed to allow the export of rare earth elements and start buying American soybeans.

World shares mostly retreated Thursday in choppy trading after President Donald Trump's meeting with Chinese leader Xi Jinping.

South Korea this week will host leaders from major Pacific Rim economies, including the United States, China and Japan, for an annual summit that has long championed free trade.

U.S. stocks are hanging around their records on Wednesday as Wall Street waits to hear from the Federal Reserve in the afternoon about what it will do with interest rates.

Canada's central bank cut its key lending rate to 2.25 percent on Wednesday, saying that while the economy has shown resilience in response to President Donald Trump's trade war, "the impact is becoming more evident."

talksThe United States and South Korea advanced trade talks on Wednesday, addressing details of $350 billion that would be invested in the American economy, after negotiations and ceremonies that included the presentation of a gold medal and crown to President Donald Trump.

Both were gifts from the country's president, Lee Jae Myung, who dialed up the flattery while Washington and Seoul worked to nail down financial promises during the last stop of Trump's Asia trip.