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UNITED NATIONS, Dec. 12 (Xinhua) -- The Chinese envoy to the United Nations said Wednesday that the Iran nuclear deal has proved its worth and deserves full and effective implementation.

At a Security Council meeting on Iran, Chinese Permanent Representative to the UN Ma Zhaoxu said the deal as a major multilateralism achievement serves the common interest of the international community.

13 Dec 2018; DW: As carmakers wrestle for the emerging electric car market, a German company sealed a key deal to mine a massive lithium deposit under a salt flat in Bolivia. The metal is crucial for making car battery cells.

Lithium deposits hidden below Bolivia's Uyuni salt flat are believed to be the largest in the world. On Wednesday, Germany's privately owned ACI Systems agreed to a partnership with Bolivian state company YLB to exploit the element.

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia (AP) — Malaysian national car maker Proton launched its first SUV on Wednesday in a fresh effort to transform its stale brand and turn around its fortunes, more than a year after China’s Geely Holding Group Co. Ltd. bought a key stake in the company.

Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad launched the 1.8 liter (0.48 gallon) -engine X70 and expressed hopes for Proton’s recovery.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Trump administration wants to see an increase in U.S. investment and trade in Africa as part of a new strategy aimed at countering China’s growing influence on the continent

National security adviser John Bolton is expected to lay out priorities Thursday for what the administration calls “the continent of the future” during remarks at the Heritage Foundation. Critics are skeptical because it has taken so long into the presidency to announce the initiative and Trump has made disparaging remarks about a region that is home to 1.2 billion people.

LONDON (AP) — The German parliament has approved a motion stating that the Brexit deal can’t be renegotiated, underlining the stance of the government and European Union allies.

The largely symbolic motion was approved hours before Chancellor Angela Merkel and the other 27 EU leaders gather in Brussels.

British Prime Minister Theresa May is seeking reassurances about the withdrawal deal, which she is struggling to sell to skeptical lawmakers.

LONDON (AP) — British Prime Minister Theresa May is seeking a lifeline from European Union leaders Thursday after winning a no-confidence vote among her own Conservative lawmakers.

May will ask the other 27 EU leaders at a summit in Brussels for reassurances about the deal that she can use to win over a skeptical British Parliament, particularly those within her party who triggered the no-confidence vote in the first place.

Earlier this week, to great uproar in Parliament, May scrapped a planned vote on the deal this week when it became clear she would lose.

BEIJING (AP) — China on Thursday confirmed it has detained two Canadian men, raising the stakes in a three-way international dispute over the case of a Chinese telecoms executive facing possible extradition from Canada to the United States.

Foreign Ministry spokesman Lu Kang said entrepreneur Michael Spavor and former Canadian diplomat Michael Kovrig were taken into custody on Monday on suspicion of “engaging in activities that endanger the national security” of China.

12 Dec 2018; AFP: India's rupee plunged on Tuesday after the country's central bank chief quit following a dispute with the government that analysts say raises fears about its independence.

Urjit Patel stood down as governor of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) on Monday evening following months of tensions with Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government over interference in policy.

12 Dec 2018; AFP: A Canadian court has granted bail to a top Chinese telecom company executive wanted in the United States, as diplomatic tensions turned to the detention of a former Canadian diplomat in Beijing.

Meng Wanzhou, the chief financial officer of Huawei, was released on Can$10 million (US$7.5 million) bail on Tuesday in a case that has rattled relations between China, the United States and Canada.

12 Dec 2018; AFP: The European Parliament on Wednesday approved an accord with Japan that has been dubbed the world's biggest trade deal, covering economies that represent a third of the world's GDP.

The agreement will go into effect in February and was celebrated as a victory for Europe as a free trade champion in the face of US President Donald Trump's protectionism and Britain's decision to leave the EU.