Trump holds talks with Pakistan's prime minister in the latest sign of warming relations

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump hosted Pakistan's prime minister, Shehbaz Sharif, for talks Thursday at the White House in the latest sign of warming relations between the United States and the South Asian nuclear power.

Sharif was among the top officials from eight Arab or Muslim countries who met with Trump on the sidelines of the U.N. General Assembly this week to discuss strategy on ending the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza.

Ties have improved between the U.S. and Pakistan as Trump's relationship with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, one of the Republican president's closest with a world leader during his first term, has become strained over India's increased purchases of discounted Russian oil after Moscow invaded Ukraine in February 2022. India and Pakistan are neighbors and fierce rivals.

Trump has dramatically raised tariffs on India for those oil purchases in an effort to put indirect economic pressure on Moscow.

Meanwhile, the U.S. and Pakistan reached a trade agreement in July that is expected to allow Washington to help develop Pakistan’s largely untapped oil reserves and lower tariffs for Islamabad.

Sharif arrived at the White House shortly before 5 p.m. as Trump was signing executive orders and talking with reporters. The meeting between the two leaders was closed to the media, with Pakistan's delegation leaving the White House at 6:18 p.m.

According to a statement from Sharif’s office, he was accompanied by Pakistan’s army chief, Field Marshal Asim Munir. It said Sharif praised Trump as a “man of peace” whose leadership helped avert a catastrophe by facilitating the May ceasefire with India.

Sharif thanked Trump for the U.S.-Pakistan tariff arrangement concluded earlier this year and invited American companies to invest in Pakistan’s agriculture, information technology, mining and energy sectors, it said.

Both leaders also discussed counterterrorism cooperation, with Sharif expressing appreciation for Trump’s endorsement of Pakistan’s role in combating extremism. Sharif extended an invitation for Trump to make an official visit to Pakistan, the statement said.

Sharif has gained favor with Trump since publicly endorsing the American leader for a Nobel Peace Prize for his administration's efforts this year at reducing tensions between Pakistan and India. India and Pakistan agreed to a ceasefire in May after U.S.-led talks to end the most serious military confrontation between the nuclear-armed rivals in decades.

Unlike Sharif, Modi has declined to indulge Trump’s attempt to claim credit for brokering the ceasefire.

That deal followed weeks of clashes, missile and drone strikes across their borders. The clashes were triggered by a massacre of tourists that India blames on Pakistan, which denies the charge.

Pakistan did split with Trump on his decision to carry out U.S. strikes in June on three Iranian nuclear facilities. Pakistan said the attack “constituted a serious violation of international law” as well as on the stature of the International Atomic Energy Agency.

Modi was recently photographed with Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping during a security summit in Tianjin, in northern China. That led to a social media jab from Trump.

“Looks like we’ve lost India and Russia to deepest, darkest, China,” Trump wrote. “May they have a long and prosperous future together!”

But Trump has taken a warmer tack with Modi recently.

Last week, Trump offered hope that trade issues with India could be resolved.

“I am pleased to announce that India, and the United States of America, are continuing negotiations to address the Trade Barriers between our two Nations,” Trump said in a post on Truth Social.

“I look forward to speaking with my very good friend, Prime Minister Modi, in the upcoming weeks. I feel certain that there will be no difficulty in coming to a successful conclusion for both of our Great Countries!”

Trump hit India with tariffs up to 50% last month after imposing an additional 25% tariff on the country related to its purchases of Russian oil, which helps Moscow pay for its war in Ukraine.

Trump hosted Modi for White House talks in February.

Associated Press writer Munir Ahmed contributed to this story from Islamabad, Pakistan.

Pakistan Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif, left, and Gen. Syed Asim Munir wait for their meeting with President Donald Trump, in the Oval Office at the White House, Thursday, Sept. 25, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

Pakistan Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif, left, and Gen. Syed Asim Munir wait for their meeting with President Donald Trump, in the Oval Office at the White House, Thursday, Sept. 25, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — A 24-year-old man was found guilty of involuntary manslaughter in the death of an elderly Thai man whose 2021 killing in San Francisco helped spark a national movement against anti-Asian American violence.

A jury did not find Antoine Watson guilty of murder when it returned a verdict Thursday for the January 2021 attack on 84-year-old Vicha Ratanapakdee. Jurors found Watson guilty on the lesser charges of involuntary manslaughter and assault.

The office of San Francisco District Attorney Brooke Jenkins declined to comment, saying that the jury was still empaneled. Jurors will return Jan. 26 to hear arguments on aggravating factors and sentencing will be scheduled once that is completed, the office said in an email.

Vicha Ratanapakdee was out for his usual morning walk in the quiet neighborhood he lived in with his wife, daughter and her family when Watson charged at him and knocked him to the ground. The encounter was captured on a neighbor's security camera. Ratanapakdee died two days later, never regaining consciousness.

His family says he was attacked because of his race, but hate crime charges were not filed and the argument was not raised in trial. Prosecutors have said hate crimes are difficult to prove absent statements by the suspect.

Watson testified on the stand that he was in a haze of confusion and anger at the time of the unprovoked attack, according to KRON-TV. He said he lashed out and didn't know that Ratanapakdee was Asian or elderly.

San Francisco Public Defender Mano Raju, whose office defended Watson, extended his sympathies to the victim's family and said the defendant is “fully remorseful for his mistake.”

“While this death was a terrible tragedy and has garnered a lot of press attention, the importance of our legal system is that it gives us a chance to look at the facts in a balanced way,” he said in a statement.

Hundreds of people in five other U.S. cities joined in commemorating the anniversary of Ratanapakdee's death in 2022, all of them seeking justice for Asian Americans who have been harassed, assaulted, and even killed in alarming numbers since the start of the pandemic.

Asians in America have long been subject to prejudice and discrimination, but the attacks escalated sharply after the coronavirus first appeared in late 2019 in Wuhan, China. More than 10,000 hate incidents against Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders were reported to the Stop AAPI Hate coalition from March 2020 through September 2021.

The incidents involved shunning, racist taunting and physical assaults.

FILE - Flowers are left with pictures of 84-year-old Vicha Ratanapakdee during a rally attended by hundreds of people on Jan. 30, 2022, in San Francisco. (AP Photo/Janie Har, File)

FILE - Monthanus Ratanapakdee holds a photo of her father, 84-year-old Vicha Ratanapakdee, and stands in front of the San Francisco apartment building where he was attacked last year and later died of his injuries, on Jan. 26, 2022. (AP Photo/Terry Chea, File)